Foreign visitors to America's national parks could soon be asked to pay more than their US counterparts for entry, following drastic new proposals from the Trump administration.
The 2026 Department of the Interior budget proposal asks the National Park Service to "establish a surcharge for foreign visitors that is estimated to generate more than $90 million."
The proposal doesn't specify how much this surcharge would be per visitor, but says it would be used to "keep national parks beautiful".
The charge is part of a major cost-cutting operation driven by Trump's Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum.
Should the proposal pass Congress and receive presidential approval, the NPS budget would fall from $3.122 billion to $2.1 billion in 2026, with huge cuts made to maintenance and infrastructure projects at America's 63 national parks.
"The Budget prioritizes funding for park unit operations, proposing savings from project-specific funding and narrowly focused activities and changes in externally driven costs," reads the proposal.
"Public lands are home to some of America’s most iconic species and landscapes. The Budget supports the protection and management of America’s resources for current and future generations to enjoy."
The plan for more budget cuts come as a major blow to a service already deep in crisis.
The NPS has been grappling with drastic job losses since Trump's inauguration in January. Thousands of temporary and full-time park employees have lost work, while some permanent employees have been offered a buyout to leave their jobs.
The National Parks Conservation Association, which advocates for the parks and their workers, claims that the NPS has lost roughly a sixth of its workforce and has hired less than half of the seasonal and temporary workers required to meet its own goals.
"The Park Service is in a full-blown staffing crisis," reads a statement from NPCA President and CEO, Theresa Pierno.
"Even national parks like Yosemite are struggling to provide basic visitor services with overwhelmed park staff."
Without adequate staff, some parks have been forced to close campgrounds and trailheads. Shortages have become so dire at Yosemite National Park that even scientists have been asked to clean bathrooms.
The park's funding crisis has been heavily protested. Thousands have taken to the streets in recent months to demand an end to the cuts.
About 300 million people visit America's national parks every year to run, camp, and hike in the unspoiled North American.
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