President Donald Trump made headlines on Thursday, June 19, which marks Juneteenth, a significant federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump voiced strong opinions regarding the increasing number of “non-working holidays” in America. He argued that these holidays are costing the nation “BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” due to businesses being closed, stating, “Too many non-working holidays in America. The workers don’t want it either!” Trump emphasized that such practices need to change to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Juneteenth stands as the oldest ongoing celebration in the U.S. marking the end of slavery. It commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved individuals that the Civil War had ended and that they were free. This announcement came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
During a press briefing at the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that Trump was unlikely to acknowledge the federal holiday formally. “I’m not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,” Leavitt stated. “I know this is a federal holiday — I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here, we’re working 24/7 right now.”
In contrast, Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, delivered a heartfelt speech commemorating Juneteenth at a historic Black church in Galveston. Biden remarked, “Our federal holidays say … who we are as Americans,” emphasizing the importance of what the nation chooses to celebrate. He added, “What we celebrate says what we value.”
Interestingly, Trump has previously sought to take credit for bringing attention to Juneteenth, claiming during his first term in 2020 that “nobody had ever heard of it.” This statement was made amidst a backdrop of civil unrest following the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of police. Notably, Trump had pledged to make Juneteenth a federal holiday during his 2020 presidential campaign, although it was not officially recognized until 2021, under President Biden’s administration.
Since his reelection campaign, Trump has focused on eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, instituting stricter regulations on diversity efforts within the federal government through a series of executive orders. This ongoing political discourse around federal holidays and diversity initiatives continues to shape the national conversation.
This article has been updated to include additional details. Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Donald Judd and Kaanita Iyer.
