Nationwide — President Donald Trump stirred conversation on Juneteenth by claiming that America has “too many non-working holidays” that cost billions and hurt businesses. Although not directly mentioning Juneteenth, his post on the holiday called for change to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Juneteenth honors the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It officially became a federal holiday in 2021. Government offices and banks close for Juneteenth, though many private businesses stay open.
On that same day, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, “Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don’t want it either! Soon we’ll end up having a holiday for every [one] working day of the year. It must change if we are going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
During his first term, Trump recognized Juneteenth several times, calling it a historic day. In 2020, he said he “made Juneteenth very famous” after rescheduling a campaign rally that was originally set on the holiday. He also claimed that few people knew about it before then.
When asked if the president planned to issue a Juneteenth proclamation this year, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there were no such plans but thanked staff and reporters for working during the holiday, according to CBS News.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday after President Joe Biden signed it into law in 2021, supported by lawmakers from both parties.