There’s no vacation from Trump. He’s ruining everything.
Your summer 2025 travel itinerary could include raging fires, germy cruise ships, and burner phones.
By Jennifer Schulze
In less than 100 days, President Donald Trump has scorched the country with his MAGA blowtorch, burning up everything from the rule of law to Social Security and our once (recently) great economy. Nothing is immune, not even summer vacation. As a result of his DOGE cuts and extremist policies, bookings are down and cancellations are up as both Americans and international travelers rethink travel plans. Warnings and alerts are on the upswing.
Even the AARP now recommends that seniors traveling abroad study up on the Fourth Amendment, remove controversial social media content and even consider getting a burner phone. Wow. Thanks to Trump, your summer 2025 travel itinerary now likely includes burner phones, cruise ships crawling with viruses, raging forest fires and understaffed national parks.
One of the most striking travel impacts so far is the enormous drop in cross-border visits from Canadians. Airline bookings for flights between the two countries have collapsed. Cities like Chicago and states like Maine that rely on a steady stream of Canadian tourists are seeing big cutbacks. The Brits are also staying away, especially after revelations that Immigration and Customs Enforcement kept a young London backpacker locked up for three weeks. Incidents like that sparked many countries to issue warnings about visiting the United States, and the latest numbers show that a growing number of international travelers are going elsewhere.
Americans are also adjusting their vacation plans. Many rightly worry about the so-called “enhanced vetting” at U.S. borders. Economic uncertainty is also having an impact. There’s nothing like a tanking 401(k) to make you press pause on a week at the beach. But even if you can afford to travel, your U.S. vacation will almost certainly be more chaotic and less safe. DOGE cuts to critical agencies mean travelers could experience germy cruise ships, measles and other viral epidemics, more unsafe food, perilous forest fires, riskier air travel, and less reliable weather forecasts. Understaffing will also be a problem, especially at our national parks.
Understaffed National Parks
I feel lucky that I visited the majestic Grand Canyon before Trump let Elon Musk and DOGE take a sledgehammer to our national parks. There were no lengthy traffic jams as we headed into the park. The South Rim walkways were spotless, trails down into the canyon were well maintained, park shuttles ran on time, numerous rangers gave talks about the canyon’s geology, and the historic El Tovar Hotel was open for business just as it has been for the past 120 years. It’s unlikely that summer 2025 visitors will have the same experience.
We’re already seeing the negative impacts of the Trump and DOGE actions. There are traffic jams—even midweek—because Grand Canyon entrance gate staffers were terminated. Visitors are noticing similar delays at Zion National Park in Utah. In Southern Colorado, the Florissant Fossil Beds are now closed two days a week. Federally operated campgrounds in Pennsylvania have shut down. At Yosemite and other park sites, summer visitors are already being warned to expect bad traffic, closed trails, and fewer Ranger programs. Visitors might also encounter overflowing trash cans (not just ugly, but a dangerous invitation to bears), dirty restrooms, delayed maintenance, and scaled back or even closed visitors centers.
Fire Hazards
Fires are raging in North Carolina, a popular vacation spot for all kinds of outdoor recreation, including fishing, and backpacking. The state is still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In part because of DOGE cuts, it lacks enough personnel to fight fires on state and federal lands. This is a problem beyond North Carolina. The DOGE cuts to crews and support staff that mitigate and fight forest fires are a nationwide worry. One California fire chief told Stateline, “The public needs to know they’re at risk. If the public knew all of this, they would lose their minds.”
No bison selfies
Longtime park rangers also fear emergency rescue efforts could be threatened. During my visit to the Grand Canyon, I didn’t think twice about whether there’d be sufficient search and rescue crews available, but that’s now a serious concern--especially when you’re just one misstep from tragedy. Stacy Ramsey, a fired worker at the Buffalo National River in Arkansas, posted: “Did those who made the decision know or care that the main objective of my position is to provide preventive search and rescue education, to keep park visitors safe?” Alex Wild, a fired Yosemite ranger, posted: “I honestly can’t imagine how the parks will operate without my position. I mean, they just can’t. I am the only EMT at my park and the first responder for any emergency.”
This also means it’s more important than ever to be a smart traveler, not a touron (tourist+moron). The already-stressed rescue teams might not be there to save you when you try to take a selfie with a 2,000-pound bison or dip your toe in a scalding thermal pool.
Germy Cruise Ships
No matter where you travel this summer, your health could be in jeopardy, thanks to DOGE and misguided actions by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The agencies that would warn us about new measles outbreaks or other looming threats have been refocused to address Kennedy’s disproven, quack theories instead. That potato salad someone brought to the neighborhood block party? It might not get the scrutiny it once did from decimated Food and Drug Administration food safety teams.
And good luck staying healthy on your summer cruise. Already this year, there have been cruise ship virus outbreaks, mostly the dreaded norovirus. Now, all full-time employees may be fired from the Vessel Sanitation Program, a government unit that monitors gastrointestinal virus outbreaks. CBS News reports that those fired inspectors had also been “tasked with checking to make sure ships are not cutting corners in a range of issues, like medical centers, water systems and food safety. For many ships, the CDC effectively serves as the only health department regulating these areas.” Yikes.
Less Reliable Weather Forecasts?
Extreme cuts to the National Weather Service could also make it harder to plan and stay safe during a summer road trip, mountain hike, or a visit to an outdoor music festival. Last summer, when the country suffered through blistering, record-setting heatwaves and numerous violent storms, we could count on accurate, timely weather forecasts and alerts. Here in Chicago, 27 tornadoes hit on just one July night (including at busy O’Hare Airport). Flights were canceled or delayed, travelers “described sitting in planes that rocked back and forth with the strength of the winds. Videos showed terminals packed with travelers sheltering.”
Fear of Flying
It was NWS forecasters working with air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration who helped keep everyone safe that night. Now many of those NWS scientists have been fired, and those who remain are severely overworked. The same is true at the FAA where hundreds of workers—including many tasked with safety related jobs—were also fired by DOGE. A new poll found 65% of Americans are more worried about flying because of the recent deadly crashes and close calls. The DOGE cuts to the FAA, NWS, and beyond will surely contribute to that unease.
Buckle Up
All of these Trump-induced problems have prompted a new wave of travel advice, including dealing with airport chaos, what to do if you are stopped by border patrol, and getting a burner phone. Relying on state and local health agencies—not the federal government—for updated information about measles outbreaks and other potential health dangers is another smart move. If you do decide to make the trip to see the Grand Canyon or any of the battlefields, historic sites, national monuments, parkways, sea shores, memorials, and scenic rivers that make up our remarkable National Park System, the Resistance Rangers recommend bringing your own toilet paper and trash bags.
Making your summer more difficult is just one of the many things the administration does every day to tear down our country. As long as he’s in office, there really will be no vacation from Donald Trump.
Jennifer Schulze is a longtime Chicago journalist. She’s on Bluesky @newsjennifer.bsky.social and Substack at “Indistinct Chatter.”
I was wondering how receptive France and other European countries will be to American tourists the longer this drags on? (And I wouldn’t blame them for not an arms wide open welcome.)
Burner phones are going to be our future, I’m afraid.