Why Is Donald Trump Quiet on Juneteenth? Late-Night Hosts Slam His 'Too Many Holidays' Jab

US President Donald Trump is facing renewed criticism over his recent comments dismissing Juneteenth as just another non-working holiday. The backlash comes not only from the public but also from late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who used their platforms to ridicule the president's remarks and his absence from this year's Juneteenth celebrations.

Juneteenth, often called 'Freedom Day', commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is widely seen as one of the country's most culturally and historically significant holidays.

Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert Mock Trump on National TV

After hearing Trump's comments about Juneteenth and other non-working holidays, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel and CBS's Stephen Colbert did not hold back.

'You might find this hard to believe, from a president who's done more for Blacks than Abraham Lincoln, but Trump is not a fan,' Kimmel said, referencing a controversial claim the president made in a previous speech.

Kimmel continued, 'If Trump were to acknowledge Juneteenth, he would risk upsetting his not-at-all-racist and how-dare-you-say-we-are base.'

On The Late Show, Colbert greeted his audience by saying, 'It's a great day, a day to celebrate freedom.' He followed it up by taking aim at the president: 'Juneteenth is a day of joy, so Donald Trump does not like it.'

Colbert further criticised the president's stance, adding, 'You cannot stop people from celebrating freedom. You cannot make them turn down their joy.'

Trump Complains About Federal Holidays

On Thursday 19 June 2025, President Trump posted on social media to express concern about the increasing number of non-working holidays in the United States.

'There are too many non-working holidays in America,' he wrote. Trump argued that these holidays cost the US economy billions each year due to business closures.

'The workers do not want it either. Soon we will end up having a holiday for every once-working day of the year. It must change if we are going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,' he added.

Trump Silent on Juneteenth in 2025

During his first term in office, Trump often acknowledged Juneteenth, even claiming to have helped raise awareness of the holiday before it became nationally recognised. In 2020, he delayed a campaign rally scheduled for 19 June in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after backlash, and later said he had made Juneteenth 'very famous'.

This year, however, the president made no public statements or posts to mark the occasion. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that she had not seen a signed proclamation for Juneteenth from the president in 2025. She noted that it is a federal holiday and thanked those who reported to work on the day.

Why Juneteenth Remains Important

Juneteenth marks the date in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday has been observed by African American communities since 1866 and was officially recognised as a federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed it into law on 17 June 2021.