Trump Wants No Visitors - National Parks Only for Americans

Washington - Donald Trump has never made a secret of the fact that he doesn’t care much for international guests - and on July 3, 2025, he cemented that stance once again. With a presidential order, he drastically raised entrance fees for foreign visitors to US national parks. At the same time, he slashed the National Park Service (NPS) budget by more than one billion dollars. The message is clear: America belongs to Americans - and those coming from abroad must either pay or stay away.

Officially, the measure is intended to raise additional funds for the maintenance and infrastructure of the parks. But in reality, it pursues a different goal: the complete deterrence of international tourists. For months, foreign visitation has dropped—by as much as 70 percent, according to several travel associations. With the new order, Trump may be targeting the next percentage points. Or, as one conservative commentator cynically put it, “When no one comes anymore, order will be restored.” The new fees apply exclusively to foreigners. For U.S. citizens, entrance fees remain unchanged—and they will now also receive priority when making reservations in overbooked parks. The government is thus implementing a form of tourist segregation: the country’s most beautiful landscapes are to be shielded from the outside and priced up for the rest of the world. Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion—they remain open, but only for those with the right passport.

Criticism came swiftly from environmental and tourism organizations. The group “Global Parks Alliance” warned of a loss of the US’s image as an open and welcoming travel destination. Tour operators spoke of a “cold tourism blockade.” But the White House insisted the decision was necessary - after all, one cannot simultaneously cut the budget and expect someone else to fill the gap. Yet the budget pressure is self-inflicted. The cuts to the NPS - more than a billion dollars - were enacted by the Trump administration itself. That now the last remaining foreign visitors are expected to make up for it is, both economically and morally, a declaration of bankruptcy, said former park director Sarah Johnson: “We are punishing those who value our country - simply because they are not from here.” Behind this measure stands Trump’s familiar credo: America First - not Tourists First. The parks as a symbol of national greatness, but also as fortresses of exclusion. Those who want to see them must pay. And those who don’t pay should stay out. In this way, Trump continues the retreat - from international cooperation, from global responsibility - and now also from hospitality. The decline in foreign tourism may never have been an accident. It was intentional. And with the new order, it becomes clear: Trump wants no one to come anymore.