US EditionWhite House Announces MLK Day Proclamation After Facing Backlash
- President Donald Trump remained silent through the morning and afternoon of Jan. 19, 2026, and the White House released a proclamation signed by Trump at about 8:15 p.m. recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- At Mar-a-Lago, Trump spent the holiday silently while White House social accounts focused on ICE updates and his only morning post called for voter ID measures.
- In the proclamation, Trump praised Martin Luther King Jr. but omitted racial justice and referenced last year's declassified assassination records, while NAACP National President Derrick Johnson said `Donald Trump has zero interest in uniting this country or recognizing its history and diversity.`
- California governor Gavin Newsom said his state offered free entry at more than 200 parks to honor King, while social media users and critics noted the proclamation came only after public criticism.
- The episode departs from a decades-long pattern that began when Ronald Reagan in Nov. 1983, as Trump became the first president not to initially issue an MLK Day proclamation and rolled back DEI programs and National Park Service fee-free days.
22 Articles
22 Articles
EDITORIAL: After the MLK holiday, it’s clear we need his inspiration more than ever
Donald Trump delivered a good example of disingenuousness with his late recognition of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday. He called on Americans to “recommit themselves to Dr. King’s dream.” The proclamation did not come until the end of the day, and only after a deluge of criticism from the NAACP and other civil rights groups. Derrick Johnson, national president of the NAACP, released a statement that said, “Donald Trump has z…
We Have A Nightmare: Donald Trump’s White House Begrudgingly Celebrates MLK Day, Bernice King Responds To Civil Rights Act Rhetoric
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images/ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Ima / Getty Yesterday (Jan. 19), the part of the nation that still has its humanity and dignity honored what would have been the late great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 97th birthday on Jan. 15. For many, the third Monday in January is a time to remember what King fought for, the sacrifices that were made, and the enduring belief that we shall overcome. Unfortunately…
White House issues MLK Day proclamation after criticism
The White House issued a proclamation recognizing the annual Martin Luther King Jr. holiday late Monday evening, following criticism from activists across the country. “Inspired by the tenets enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, we proudly renew our pledge to uphold our Nation’s long-cherished principles of liberty, equal justice under the law, and the God‑given…
Trump releases MLK Day proclamation after criticism for delayed response
President Donald Trump released a proclamation on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of the slain civil rights activist, after being criticized by groups like the NAACP for not issuing a more timely statement. #Trump #MartinLutherKing #proclamation #history #publicparks
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