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MLK Day Out, Trump’s Birthday In? All His Holiday Changes.

11 23
yesterday

Since returning to office, Donald Trump has been trying to flex his executive authority by changing America’s holidays. The president doesn’t actually have the power to unilaterally declare or abolish federal holidays, but you wouldn’t know that from reading his multiple Truth Social declarations proclaiming new days of national celebration. And his administration has made some subtler changes that deemphasize holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day while encouraging people to honor Trump’s birthday.

In these increasingly MAGA-fied times, it can be hard to know if Juneteenth is still a federal holiday (yes), whether we’re getting any more days off work (no), or how we’re supposed to celebrate the December holidays (say “Merry Christmas!” exclusively and keep your yuletide decorations spooky). Here’s a guide, which we’ll keep updated, to all of Trump’s holiday changes.

No. Since 2021, there have been 12 permanent federal holidays: New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Inauguration Day (every four years), Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Federal holidays are designated through congressional legislation. The president can sign or veto that legislation, but he can’t just declare a new holiday via Truth Social. States can also set their own holidays. Congress.gov explains:

Although frequently called public or national holidays, these celebrations are only legally applicable to federal employees and the District of Columbia, as the states individually decide their own legal holidays. … Neither Congress nor the President has asserted the authority to declare a “national holiday” that would be binding on the 50 states, as each state individually determines its legal holidays.

Presidents issue proclamations recognizing all kinds of public observances, but they are not “federal holidays.” Federal offices are not required to close and there’s no expectation that businesses will give employees the day off. Most people aren’t even aware of these days of “national observance.” For example, in just the past few weeks, Trump has issued proclamations for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, General Pulaski Memorial Day, and National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Yes. Confusingly, Trump keeps going on Truth Social and saying things like “I am hereby declaring a National Holiday in celebration of the Victories of World War I” when he actually means he’s just issuing another proclamation.

No. Trump hasn’t........

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