The President of the United States tried to cancel the day that honors the civil rights leader’s life and legacy.
Trump wanted to cancel Martin Luther King Day: What to know about the federal holiday MLK Day 2026
He couldn’t, could he? It feels like we have been asking that very question every time news breaks of a Donald Trump decision that flies completely in the face of what we consider normal in the Universe.
As January brings with it Martin Luther King Jr Day once again, questions have been raised about whether the holiday has been cancelled under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The short answer is simple and I’ll get it out here: no. Martin Luther King Jr Day, which honours the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, remains one of the United States’ 11 federally recognised holidays in 2026 and is observed on Monday, Jan. 19.
However, despite that being said, the way the holiday is administered at the federal level has changed for this year, prompting confusion to turn into the question of cancellation.
Mark your calendars: our MLK Day Parade is on Monday, Jan 19 in Washington, DC.
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 11, 2026
Tell your friends, invite your family, and get ready for a beautiful display of local pride—honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., whose legacy continues to shape our city. pic.twitter.com/MCVhYlkyxn
Can Trump remove MLK Day as a national holiday?
Trump cannot legally erase MLK Day from the nation’s official holiday roster on his own as such a move would require action by Congress, but he’s done his best: his administration has altered related practices that affect how the day is marked.
The most visible change affects the National Park Service (NPS). In its annual announcement of “fee-free” days – (days when visitors can enter national parks without paying) the NPS has removed both Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth from its 2026 calendar.
Visitors will now need to pay standard park entrance fees on Jan. 19, as well as on June 19 for Juneteenth. Instead, the fee-free dates have been reshuffled to include more Donald Trump-themed occasions, such as Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Flag Day, which also happens to be Trump’s birthday.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hit out against the President for his decision, with Derrick Johnson, NAACP President & CEO, saying: “We’re still waiting on Trump to bring the cost of groceries and housing down, to make life affordable. Wasn’t that the plan for day one?
“Trump is doing what he usually does — he seeks to distract and divide us by undermining progress attributed to the Black community. By doing this, he’s hoping we’ll forget about his failures on the economy. But we’re not buying it.
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“Removing MLK Day and Juneteenth from the national parks calendar is more than petty politics — it’s an attack on the truth of this nation’s history. It’s an attempt to erase the legacy of Dr. King, minimize the story of emancipation, and sideline the communities that have fought for generations to make America live up to its promise. We will not stand by while this Administration tries to turn public spaces into instruments of division.”
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