President Trump made it through Thursday’s workday without a single acknowledgment of the federal Juneteenth holiday, though he’d honored it as president years before and even claimed he made it “famous.”
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers informed enslaved people in Texas — the last state to enforce slavery — that they’d been emancipated. The Emancipation Proclamation made slavery illegal in 1863, but the Lone Star State was slow to get the message.
While the holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, it became more widely observed after President Biden made it a federal holiday in 2021.
But even before it was formerly designated, Trump recognized Juneteenth every year during his first term as president. In a 2017 statement, he offered his “warmest greetings to all those celebrating Juneteenth, a historic day recognizing the end of slavery.”
He even said in 2020 that he made Juneteenth “famous” after he agreed not to hold a controversial rally previously scheduled for June 19, saying he changed the date out of respect for his Black supporters.
“I did something good. I made it famous,” Trump said at the time. “It’s actually an important event, it’s an important time. But nobody had heard of it.”
However, the first celebration of Juneteenth during Trump’s second term didn’t appear to be a priority. His Truth Social account posted several messages throughout the morning and afternoon without referencing the holiday at all.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sidestepped questions on Thursday about Trump not having honored the end of slavery.
“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,” she told reporters.
The president entered his second term following a campaign of highly charged rhetoric railing against Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced on Monday that for the first time in the organization’s 116-year history, it would not invite the sitting president to its National Convention.
With News Wire Services
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