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CBS News
an hour ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Biden pans "efforts to erase history" — and takes veiled shot at Trump — in Juneteenth event at Texas church
Understanding Juneteenth and why it still matters Washington — Former President Joe Biden criticized "ongoing efforts to erase history" during a Juneteenth Celebration Service at a historic African Methodist Episcopal Church in Galveston, Texas — and appeared to take a shot at his successor, President Trump. He took part in the service at the Reedy Chapel AME Church, one of the locations where an order announcing the end of slavery in Texas was read on June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the church. Biden called Galveston "the city where freedom rang out 160 years ago." Former President Joe Biden speaks during a Juneteenth event at the Reedy Chapel AME Church, on June 19, 2025, in Galveston, Texas. David J. Phillip / AP In 2021, Biden signed into law a measure that made June 19, or Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. Called the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, the bill passed the House with overwhelming support and was approved by unanimous voice vote in the Senate. Juneteenth became the nation's first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. Biden spoke about his early history in politics and recounted his role in making Juneteenth a federal holiday, saying, "the events of Juneteenth are of monumental importance to America's story." "Still today, some say to me and you that this doesn't deserve to be a federal holiday. They don't want to moral stain of slavery," he said. Biden also chided what he referred to as "ongoing efforts to erase history from our textbooks and our classrooms." In at least two moments, Biden seemed to reference Mr. Trump, though not by name. When speaking about attempts to erase history, he referenced "this guy" before giving himself the sign of the cross — drawing laughter from the audience. At another point, Biden pointed to efforts during his administration to rename military bases named after Confederate military officers, a process mandated by Congress. "What are we doing now? Reinstating those names," Biden said, referring to the Trump administration's push to restore the military bases' old names. The bases are now dedicated after non-Confederate military veterans who share the same last name as the installations' original Confederate namesakes. "Darkness can hide much but can erase nothing," the former president said. Several speakers recognized Biden during Thursday's service, including Galveston Mayor Craig Brown, who presented Biden with a plaque noting his role in making Juneteenth a national holiday. "I still consider our special guest, President Joe Biden, as my president," Brown said to applause. Mr. Trump — who has recognized Juneteenth in prior years — said earlier Thursday the U.S. has "too many non-working holidays."
New York Times
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Jimmy Kimmel Isn't Shocked by Trump's Silence on Juneteenth
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Another Day at the Office On Thursday, the United States celebrated Juneteenth, four years after it became a federal holiday honoring the end of slavery. But President Trump didn't acknowledge it, except by complaining on Truth Social that there were too many 'non-working holidays.' Jimmy Kimmel joked that while it might be 'hard to believe, from a president who has done more for Blacks than Abraham Lincoln, Trump is not a fan' of Juneteenth. 'I don't know, to me, it seems like a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery is one we should all be for.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'If Trump were to acknowledge Juneteenth, he would risk upsetting his not-at-all-racist-and-how-dare-you-say-we-are base. They're like, 'We're the ones who stopped enslaving — they should have a holiday for us!'' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'But then, a miracle happened. Trump did post about Juneteenth. He wrote, 'Too many non-working holidays in America. Soon, we'll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year.' Says the guy who just had a birthday parade for himself. Says the guy who has been in office for 150 days and has golfed 37 times that we know of.' — JIMMY KIMMEL The Punchiest Punchlines (Two Weeks Edition) 'I saw that today the White House said Trump will make a decision on the U.S. involvement in Iran within the next two weeks. All good. No rush. Just take your time.' — JIMMY FALLON 'It's always two weeks. For a guy whose catchphrase was 'You're fired,' no one has ever given more two weeks' notice than Donald J. Trump.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'If Trump thinks about this decision for two weeks, it'll beat his previous thinking record by two weeks.' — JIMMY FALLON 'Trump understands that starting a war in the Middle East is a lot like quitting your sales job at Best Buy. It's just polite.' — STEPHEN COLBERT The Bits Worth Watching The comedian and actor Mike Birbiglia talked about an intriguing offer he'd gotten for a film role on 'Late Night with Seth Meyers.' Also, Check This Out The 'Law & Order: SVU' star Mariska Hargitay's documentary 'My Mom Jayne' offers a candid portrayal of her family history and the mother she hardly knew, Jayne Mansfield.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
‘Black history is American history': Biden commemorates Juneteenth in Texas as Trump claims there are ‘too many' holidays in the U.S.
Biden spoke at a Juneteenth celebration inside Galveston's Reedy Chapel on Thursday evening. His speech comes one month after his prostate cancer diagnosis. Juneteenth, which Biden designated as a federal holiday in 2021, commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. The holiday is celebrated on June 19, the day in 1865 when the end of slavery was enforced in Texas, more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. 'Juneteenth is a day of liberation, a day of remembrance, a day of celebration,' Biden told the congregation. 'Black history is American history,' he added. Trump did not acknowledge the holiday, but he did make a post on Truth Social complaining that the U.S. has 'too many non-working holidays.' 'It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed,' Trump wrote. 'The workers don't want it either! Soon we'll 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!' Biden used his speech to hit out at those who claim Juneteenth shouldn't be a federal holiday. 'Some say to me and to you that this doesn't deserve to be a federal holiday,' Biden said Thursday night. 'They don't want to remember, but we all remember, the moral stain of slavery.' "I took the view as president that we need to be honest about history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase our history,' he added. Biden then appeared to allude to Trump, telling the congregation it's 'not just him' before pausing and raising his eyebrows. The room erupted into cheers and laughter as Biden did the sign of the cross before continuing. Biden went on to tell the congregation he 'played a role' in renaming military camps across the country that were named after Confederate leaders. 'But what are we doing now? Reinstating those names,' Biden said. The Trump administration recently reverted the names of several bases that were changed under Biden. "We are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort AP Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee," Trump said while speaking from Fort Bragg last week. Biden isn't the only one who appears to be criticizing Trump on Juneteenth. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Republicans in a statement Thursday, arguing they're making 'an intentional effort to turn back the clock and tear our country apart.' 'That struggle roars on, with President Trump and MAGA extremists banning books about Black history, dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs and trying to detonate the citizenship protections of the 14th Amendment,' Jeffries said.
CBS News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
On Juneteenth, President Trump says America has "too many non-working holidays"
President Trump appeared to mark Juneteenth on Thursday with a Truth Social post arguing the United States has "too many non-working holidays." "It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don't want it either! Soon we'll end up having a holiday for every … working day of the year," Mr. Trump wrote. "It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" The post did not explicitly mention Juneteenth. CBS News has reached out to the White House for comment. The holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War — specifically, the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and belatedly announced that enslaved people were freed. Juneteenth has been a federal holiday since 2021. Federal and state government offices are generally closed as a result, along with banks and stock exchanges, but private businesses aren't required to close for Juneteenth or any other holiday, and many retail establishments remain open. When asked earlier Thursday if the president planned to commemorate Juneteenth, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: "I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today. I know this is a federal holiday. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24/7 right now." Mr. Trump honored Juneteenth during his first term, including in 2017, when he called it "a historic day recognizing the end of slavery." He issued similar messages in 2018 and 2019, and in 2020, he said during an interview that he "made Juneteenth very famous" — referring to his decision not to hold a campaign rally in Oklahoma on the holiday. "It's actually an important event, an important time. But nobody had ever heard of it," Mr. Trump said in a 2020 interview with The Wall Street Journal. Former President Joe Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth an official federal holiday in 2021, after the measure passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan margins. One longtime backer of the holiday is Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.
New York Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Juneteenth Holiday Goes Uncelebrated at White House
Juneteenth, the holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States, has been celebrated at the White House each June 19 since it was enshrined into law four years ago. But on Thursday, it garnered barely an acknowledgment from the Trump administration. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters during the daily briefing that she was not aware of any plans by Mr. Trump to celebrate the day or otherwise officially mark it. 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,' Ms. Leavitt said of the president, who has in the past week signed proclamations commemorating Father's Day, Flag Day and National Flag Week, and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill — none of which are among the 11 federal holidays. Ms. Leavitt acknowledged that Thursday was 'a federal holiday,' but noted that White House staff had shown up to work, and thanked reporters for working. And Mr. Trump, who has often used holidays as an occasion to advance his political causes and insult critics and opponents on social media, instead mused about topics including TikTok, the Federal Reserve chairman Jerome H. Powell and his polling numbers. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas, nearly two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, to finally inform enslaved African Americans there that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved people had been freed. Months later, the 13th Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery in the final four border states that had not been subjected to Lincoln's order. The lack of revelry at the White House for a holiday that has been cherished by generations of Black Americans and was enshrined in federal law by then-President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was perhaps not a surprise. Though Mr. Trump has not specifically targeted Juneteenth, since returning to office he has moved to purge the federal government of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and sanitize Black history — or even erase references to it entirely. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
