POLITICS: Trump: Scrap DAYS OFF, Work MORE! – USSA News

President Trump used this year’s Juneteenth to slam what he called the U.S.’s “excess” of non-working federal holidays—claiming they cost billions in lost productivity—despite previously supporting the holiday’s creation.

At a Glance

• Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. now has “too many non-working holidays,” including Juneteenth
• He had previously taken credit for helping to popularize Juneteenth during his 2020 campaign
• Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, marking the emancipation of enslaved Americans
• President Biden led public celebrations, while Trump’s post drew sharp criticism
• Critics say Trump’s post minimizes the holiday’s historical and cultural significance

Contradiction on Display

Trump’s post this week blasted the growing list of federal holidays as costly and unnecessary—despite his earlier boasts that he helped elevate Juneteenth. In 2020, Trump even suggested he had made the holiday “very famous.” Now, however, he’s calling for a rollback of non-working days, claiming workers don’t even want them—an argument that overlooks the role holidays play in civic memory and cultural healing.

Juneteenth’s Growing Significance

While Trump posted online, President Biden marked Juneteenth with public events. The Daily Beast reported on festivities across Galveston, Oakland, and other cities where the holiday was embraced as a day of education and community building. The San Francisco Chronicle captured celebrations in the Bay Area, where thousands participated in parades and concerts.

Watch this report: How Juneteenth became a national holiday

Why It Matters

Juneteenth, now the 11th federal holiday, honors the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. Since its federal recognition in 2021, it has grown in visibility and meaning—especially for Black Americans. Trump’s abrupt pivot has raised alarms among civil rights advocates, who warn that diminishing Juneteenth undermines national efforts to acknowledge and reconcile with the past.

As debates over American identity and historical memory continue, Trump’s post this week has reignited questions about how public holidays should be valued—and who gets to decide which moments deserve national recognition.