Did Trump administration change MLK Day? Here's what you need to know

Americans celebrate the champion of human rights, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on every third Monday of January to honor the legacy of the great leader.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for equal rights through nonviolence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, making him the only person who was never a U.S. president to have a federal holiday named after him.

Every year on MLK Day, the business of the federal government remains closed, and Americans across the U.S. take part in a day of service.

In November 2025, the Department of Interior declared changes to the NPS fee-free days, which included Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In previous years, the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management have designated some federal holidays and memorial days as “fee-free days.”

On these days, entry to federal lands like national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges doesn’t charge entrance fees.

But, for 2026, the Trump administration has made some major changes to the list of fee-free days for the National Park Service.

Days like MLK Day and Juneteenth were removed, meaning visitors will now have to pay an entry fee to get access inside national parks.

When is MLK Day?

This year, the day is falling today, Monday, January 19, 2026, which is observed on the third Monday of January.

Despite the changes made by the Trump administration to the National Park Service free days, the status of MLK Day is still unchanged.

It was declared a national holiday on November 2, 1983, when former President Ronald Reagan signed the bill declaring MLK Day as a federal holiday. It was first commemorated in 1986.

Today, MLK Day, the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, encourages all Americans to volunteer and contribute to their communities.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., besides being a civil rights leader, is also known for his globally acclaimed speech that he delivered at the “March on Washington” mass public gathering in Washington, DC, where he delivered his speech titled, “I Have a Dream,” in which he envisions a country with equal rights for all Americans.

Here’s a list of fee-free days of 2026 for the National Park Service, as per the details mentioned on the NPS portal.

• February 16: Presidents Day (Washington’s birthday)
• May 25: Memorial Day
• June 14: Flag Day / Trump’s birthday
• July 3-5: Independence Day weekend
• August 25: 110th birthday of the National Parks Service
• September 17: Constitution Day
• October 27: Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday
• November 11: Veterans Day

Who was the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr.?

Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.

The civil rights champion of the 21st century died by the single fire shot by the man named Earl Ray, who was 40 years old at the time.

He later pleaded guilty to murder in 1969 and avoided the death penalty. As per the government investigations, it was concluded that Ray later pointed out that he had been framed by a man named Raoul and earned the support of the late King's family.