Trump Issues Late-Night MLK Day Proclamation After Backlash

President Donald Trump issued a late-night MLK Day proclamation, narrowly avoiding becoming the first president to skip the federal holiday.

President Donald Trump seemingly attempted to silence criticism over being the first president to skip over Martin Luther King Jr. Day by quietly issuing a proclamation late at night.

After facing backlash, Trump finally issued an official statement at 8:15 p.m. acknowledging Martin Luther King Jr. Day, following hours of silence and criticism from the NAACP, the New Republic reports. His nearly day-long delay broke tradition, as he neither recognized Dr. King’s legacy earlier in the day nor attended any commemorative events.

”Dr. King pioneered a movement that would go on to triumphantly reaffirm our national conviction that every man, woman, and child is endowed by their Creator with rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” the statement read. “As President, I am steadfastly committed to ensuring that our country will always be guided by the same principles that Dr. King defended throughout his life and to upholding the timeless truth that our rights are not granted by government but endowed by Almighty God.”

Trump highlighted that he had “proudly ordered the declassification of documents related to [King’s] assassination,” even though the King family openly criticized how he handled their release. However, his statement made no mention of racial justice, the civil rights movement, or the African American community that King dedicated his life to defending.

“Dr. King’s extraordinary resolve stands as an enduring testament to the unstoppable fire of freedom and, tragically, ultimately cost him his life,” Trump said in the proclamation. “Today, we honor the brave men and women who remain steadfast in their commitment to law, order, liberty, and justice for all. We renew our resolve to honor our heritage, reclaim our freedom, and recommit to the truth that America is, was, and forever will be a great Nation.”

The federal holiday honoring Dr. King was established in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan, 15 years after King’s assassination, and designated as a day of service in 1994 under President Bill Clinton. Presidents traditionally issue statements and attend events celebrating King’s legacy on the third Monday of January. However,h Trump skipped Monday’s commemorations, spending the day at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

In past years, proclamations were often issued days before the holiday, which Trump did on King’s birthday in 2021, while Biden’s last year was issued Jan. 17. This year, Trump’s statement came a month after he removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from the list of free-entry days at national parks. While his proclamation did not explicitly mention MLK Day, it did reference “Dr. King’s dream” while encouraging acts of service.

“On this day, I encourage all Americans to recommit themselves to Dr. King’s dream by engaging in acts of service to others, to their community, and to our Nation.”

Trump’s MLK Day proclamation was not shared on the White House or his personal social media accounts. Instead, posts that day focused on immigration enforcement actions and the college football championship in Miami, which Trump attended on the federal holiday. Prior to issuing the statement, he was called out by NAACP National President Derrick Johnson for failing to recognize the holiday.

“Donald Trump has zero interest in uniting this country or recognizing its history and diversity,” Johnson said. “Instead, he wants to pit us against each other so that we don’t pay attention to the fact that his net worth has more than doubled while families lose their healthcare and access to essential services.”