President Donald Trump on 3 July signed an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to increase entrance fees at U.S. national parks for non-resident visitors while keeping existing rates for American citizens. The directive also tells the National Park Service to give U.S. residents priority in permitting and reservation systems, framing the change as a way to make park visits “more affordable” for domestic travellers during the country’s 250th-anniversary celebrations. The order does not set specific prices or an implementation date, but the Interior Department says higher charges on foreign tourists could raise about $90 million a year for deferred maintenance, conservation projects and visitor-service upgrades. Only about 100 of the agency’s 433 park units currently collect entrance fees, which range from $10 to $35 per person or vehicle. Trump’s move comes as his administration seeks to trim the Park Service’s budget by more than one-third in fiscal 2026 and amid staffing shortages that advocacy groups say have already forced closures and reduced programming at popular sites such as Yosemite and Big Bend. Conservation organisations welcomed the prospect of new revenue but warned that fee increases alone will not close a funding gap estimated at more than $23 billion. In a separate provision, the executive order rescinds a 2017 memorandum that promoted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across federal recreation lands. The White House said differential pricing is common in park systems worldwide, while critics argued the measure, coupled with proposed budget cuts, could dampen international tourism and strain park operations.