Trump Breaks Juneteenth Silence After Past Yearly Tributes \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Donald Trump, who previously honored Juneteenth during his presidency, remained silent on the holiday this year. His silence marked a notable departure from past statements celebrating the day’s significance. Questions arose about his change in stance as Biden observed the holiday in Galveston.
Quick Looks
- Trump acknowledged Juneteenth in all four years of his first term.
- This year, he made no statements or posts about the holiday.
- White House gave no explanation for the lack of a proclamation.
- Trump focused his social media on Iran, TikTok, and the Fed.
- Juneteenth marks the 1865 liberation of enslaved Black Americans in Texas.
- Trump had once claimed to have made the holiday “famous.”
- His 2020 rally date change followed backlash over holding it on Juneteenth.
- Biden marked the 2025 holiday with a visit to Galveston, Texas.
Deep Look
President Donald Trump’s conspicuous silence on Juneteenth this year has drawn attention for its contrast to his previous public acknowledgments of the holiday. As the nation paused on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, President Trump—who returned to office after defeating Joe Biden in 2024—made no mention of Juneteenth through official proclamations, speeches, or posts on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Juneteenth, celebrated annually, marks a historic moment: June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved African Americans of their freedom—two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The day became a federally recognized holiday in 2021 under President Biden, but it had been observed for generations by Black communities across the country. As Juneteenth gained national recognition, many looked to the current administration to continue acknowledging its importance.
However, this year’s presidential silence has baffled many observers, especially given Trump’s earlier track record. During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump made a point of issuing annual statements to commemorate Juneteenth. His messages celebrated the resilience, contributions, and historical journey of Black Americans, often invoking the original moment of liberation in Galveston. In 2018, Trump stated, “Together, we honor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness.” The following year, he added that Black Americans “continue to enrich every facet of American life.”
Trump’s tone in those early years seemed to recognize Juneteenth’s dual symbolism: a remembrance of the deep injustices of slavery and a celebration of emancipation and progress. In 2020, Trump described the day as “both a remembrance of a blight on our history and a celebration of our Nation’s unsurpassed ability to triumph over darkness.”
But that same year, Trump found himself at the center of a Juneteenth controversy. After suspending campaign rallies due to the coronavirus pandemic, he planned to resume public events with a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma—on June 19. Tulsa’s own tragic racial history includes the 1921 massacre in the city’s Greenwood District, where a white mob destroyed what was known as Black Wall Street, killing as many as 300 Black residents. The scheduling of a Trump rally there on Juneteenth drew swift backlash from civil rights leaders and historians alike, who saw the move as provocative and tone-deaf. Trump eventually rescheduled the event to June 20, claiming the change came at the request of African American supporters and insisting that he had done something “good” by bringing attention to the date. “I made Juneteenth very famous,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “Very few people had heard of it.”
Following that controversy, Trump leaned into outreach toward Black voters. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, he included the idea of making Juneteenth a federal holiday in his campaign promises. Although it was Biden who ultimately signed the holiday into law, Trump took partial credit for helping elevate its national profile.
Now, back in office and facing renewed scrutiny over racial and cultural issues, Trump’s decision to remain silent this Juneteenth has left critics questioning whether his earlier remarks were politically motivated or sincerely felt. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked directly whether the president would mark the occasion in any formal way. “I’m not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,” she said, offering no additional explanation despite prior indications that the White House had planned a statement. “We are certainly here. We’re working 24/7 right now,” she added, pivoting the discussion to the administration’s workload.
Instead of addressing Juneteenth, Trump focused his public commentary that day on a range of unrelated topics, including policy on Iran, regulation of the TikTok app, and criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. The absence of any mention of Juneteenth, once championed by Trump himself, marked a stark departure from his past tone and has reignited concerns among civil rights advocates.
Meanwhile, former President Biden continued to mark the holiday, spending the day in Galveston, Texas. Biden was scheduled to speak at Reedy Chapel–AME Church, a site that played a historic role in the original Juneteenth events of 1865. His appearance underscored the continued efforts by Democrats to connect with Black voters and commemorate historical milestones in meaningful ways.
For many Black Americans, Juneteenth is not merely a holiday—it is a symbol of delayed justice, resilience, and cultural pride. The decision by the sitting president to forgo acknowledgment resonates beyond symbolism; it sends a message about the administration’s priorities and cultural sensitivity.
Trump’s lack of engagement this year may reflect a shift in political strategy or a reluctance to wade into cultural topics amid ongoing polarization. Yet it also risks alienating constituencies he once sought to win over. As the national conversation around race, history, and representation continues, presidential silence on days like Juneteenth speaks volumes.
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