Timing is everything in politics. Usually, when a federal holiday rolls around, you expect a standard, glossy graphic from the White House and a formal proclamation signed with a heavy pen. But things looked a lot different this past June. Instead of the usual commemorative message, President Donald Trump takes to social media on Juneteenth to air a grievance that caught many by surprise.
He didn't mention the holiday by name. Not once.
Instead, late on the evening of June 19, 2025, the President hopped onto Truth Social to complain about the sheer number of days Americans have off. He argued that the U.S. has "too many non-working holidays" and claimed these breaks are "costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS." It was a sharp pivot from his first term, and honestly, the shift in tone was hard to miss.
The Post That Started the Firestorm
The message was vintage Trump—all caps, exclamation points, and a focus on the bottom line. He wrote that businesses being closed was a drag on the economy and even suggested that "the workers don't want it either!"
The irony? Juneteenth is the day that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the moment in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to tell enslaved people they were finally free—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had already been signed.
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By complaining about "non-working holidays" on this specific day, Trump essentially signaled a new era in his administration’s relationship with federal recognitions. It wasn't just a random Tuesday; it was a day steeped in deep historical weight for Black Americans.
A Quick Look at the Numbers
If you’re wondering how many holidays we actually have, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management currently recognizes 12 federal holidays. This includes the "big ones" like Christmas and Thanksgiving, along with newer additions like Juneteenth, which Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. Trump’s claim that it costs billions isn't entirely baseless if you're looking strictly at government productivity, but most economists argue that retail and travel actually see a massive boost on long weekends.
- 12 Federal holidays in 2025
- $BILLIONS Trump’s estimated cost of closures
- 24/7 The schedule Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House was keeping that day
Why the Silence Was So Loud
For anyone who followed Trump’s first term, this silence was weird. Back in 2017, 2018, and 2019, he actually issued very standard, respectful statements for Juneteenth. He talked about "the unbreakable spirit" of African Americans. He even famously claimed in a 2020 Wall Street Journal interview that he "made Juneteenth very famous" after he initially scheduled a campaign rally in Tulsa on that day and then moved it due to the backlash.
So, what changed?
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn't give much away during her briefing. When asked if the President would sign a proclamation, she basically just said she wasn't "tracking" any signature and thanked the reporters for showing up to work. She leaned hard into the idea that the administration was "working 24/7." It felt like a deliberate choice to frame the day as a workday rather than a holiday.
The Contrast with Biden
While Trump was posting about the cost of holidays, former President Joe Biden was in Galveston. He visited a historic Black church and talked about how federal holidays are a reflection of what a country values. It was a study in contrasts: one leader focusing on the cultural and historical meaning, the other focusing on the "lost" productivity of the workforce.
The Strategy Behind the "Too Many Holidays" Argument
There’s a method to the madness here. Trump’s second term has been defined by a massive crackdown on anything related to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Since being sworn in in early 2025, he’s signed executive orders aimed at dismantling these programs across federal agencies.
By framing Juneteenth not as a civil rights milestone but as an economic "non-working" burden, he’s speaking directly to a base that feels the country has become too focused on identity politics. It’s a way of de-emphasizing the holiday without officially trying to repeal it—which would be a much harder legislative fight.
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It's also worth noting that just a month prior, he proposed two new holidays for the 250th anniversary of the country, but specifically said "we will not be closing the country" for them. He wants the celebration without the day off.
What This Means for Future Federal Holidays
If you’re a federal employee or someone who relies on government services, this shift matters. The administration is clearly signaling that the "always-on" culture is the new standard.
Here is what we can actually take away from this:
- Proclamations are no longer guaranteed. Just because a day is a federal holiday doesn't mean the current White House will celebrate it.
- Economic framing is key. Expect future holidays to be debated based on their "cost to the taxpayer" rather than their historical significance.
- Social media remains the primary pulpit. The President is bypassing traditional media and official proclamations to set the tone of the day through Truth Social.
Honestly, the fallout from the moment President Donald Trump takes to social media on Juneteenth shows that the culture war isn't just about what we teach in schools—it's about which days we choose to stop working and remember our history.
Moving forward, keep an eye on how the administration handles the upcoming July 4th and Labor Day celebrations. If the "too many holidays" rhetoric continues, we might see a push to consolidate federal days off or a continued refusal to participate in the ceremonial side of the job. For now, the message is clear: the 24/7 work cycle is the priority, and the historical "box-checking" of the past is out the window.
To stay ahead of how these policy shifts might affect your federal benefits or office closures, you should regularly check the official bulletins from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and keep a close eye on the White House's executive order registry for any changes to holiday pay structures.