In honor of Donald Trump learning what Juneteenth is four years after his administration released his first Juneteenth statement, DNC Director of Outreach Communications Tracy King released the following statement: 

“Four years ago on Juneteenth, Donald Trump offended Black Americans in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and across the nation when he tried to hold one of his extreme MAGA rallies in the very city where a white mob burned down a thriving Black business district, without so much as even knowing the history of that hallowed ground where he was slated to speak or the meaning of Juneteenth. Years after taking office, Trump didn’t even know what Juneteenth was, but he still had the audacity to erase the advocates and civil rights leaders who fought for generations to bring awareness to this important day in American history by claiming he was the one who made Juneteenth ‘famous’ and that before him, ‘nobody had ever heard of it’ — as if Black people haven’t been celebrating this holiday across the country for generations. If Trump was confused about the meaning of the holiday, he could’ve asked the administration official who wrote his Juneteenth statement that he didn’t even know his White House published. 

“For Black Americans, it was just another reminder that our communities and our history are an afterthought — or worse, a target — for Trump at every turn. Trump’s MAGAnomics agenda excluded Black businesses, destroyed jobs for Black workers, and left Black children behind. Trump has been peddling racist stereotypes toward Black people for decades, and selling some wannabe Jordans and mugshot t-shirts isn’t going to make us forget. Much like when he demanded the young, innocent, Black and brown children of the ‘Central Park Five’ — now referred to as the ‘Exonerated Five’ — be executed, Trump is loud and wrong.”

SHOT: Donald Trump claimed he made Juneteenth “famous” despite having never heard of it until he tried to hold a racially insensitive rally on the holiday.

Wall Street Journal: “On race issues, Mr. Trump said a black Secret Service agent told him the meaning of Juneteenth as the president was facing criticism for initially planning to hold his first campaign rally in three months on the day.

“The rally is scheduled to be held in Tulsa, Okla., where, in 1921, a mob of white residents attacked and killed black community members, destroying a thriving black business district.

“Holding a rally on that day, particularly as racial protests continued throughout the country, was insensitive, African-American leaders told Mr. Trump. He eventually pushed the rally back a day to June 20.

“‘I did something good: I made Juneteenth very famous,’ Mr. Trump said, referring to news coverage of the rally date. ‘It’s actually an important event, an important time. But nobody had ever heard of it.’”

CHASER: Trump is so out of touch he was shocked to learn his own administration had put out a statement in celebration of Juneteenth.

Wall Street Journal: “Mr. Trump said he polled many people around him, none of whom had heard of Juneteenth. Mr. Trump paused the interview to ask an aide if she had heard of Juneteenth, and she pointed out that the White House had issued a statement last year commemorating the day. Mr. Trump’s White House has put out statements on Juneteenth during each of his first three years.

“‘Oh really? We put out a statement? The Trump White House put out a statement?’ Mr. Trump said. ‘OK, OK. Good.’”

President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday in his first year in office, making it the first national holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

New York Times: “Biden Signs Law Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday” 

“President Biden signed legislation on Thursday to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, enshrining June 19 as the national day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

“‘All Americans can feel the power of this day, and learn from our history,’ Mr. Biden said at a ceremony at the White House, noting that it was the first national holiday established since Martin Luther King’s Birthday in 1983.

“He said signing the law was one of the greatest honors he will have as president.

“The law went into effect immediately, making Friday the first federal Juneteenth holiday.”

Juneteenth celebrates the end of enslavement in the United States, but Donald Trump repeatedly denounced the removal of confederate statues and has wined and dined white supremacists.  

Axios: “Former President Trump dined and conversed with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Tuesday night, according to two sources familiar with the matter.”

The Guardian: “Donald Trump declined to condemn white supremacists and violent rightwing groups during a contentious first presidential debate, instead urging a far-right group known for street brawling to ‘stand by’ and arguing that ‘somebody’s got to do something’ about the left.”

CNN: “Trump’s defense of the ‘very fine people’ at Charlottesville white nationalist march has David Duke gushing”

CNN: “President Donald Trump on Thursday denounced the removal of monuments to Confederate figures as ‘sad’ and ‘so foolish,’ days after white supremacists and neo-Nazis took to Charlottesville, Virginia, to violently protest the planned removal of a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.”

TIME: “Donald Trump Refuses to Condemn KKK, Disavow David Duke Endorsement”

The Hill: “President Trump said Wednesday he ‘will not even consider’ renaming Army bases that were named for Confederate military leaders after top Pentagon officials indicated recently they are open to the idea. In a series of tweets, Trump argued the bases have become part of U.S. history and should not be ‘tampered with.’”

Trump said the quiet part out loud when he insisted that Black people like him more for being a convicted criminal, blatantly peddling racial stereotypes. 

Trump, claiming the Black community “embraced” him because he was indicted on criminal charges: “You see Black people walking around with my mugshot.”

Trump: “Would you rather have the Black president or the white president? … I think they want the white guy.”

Trump claimed he knows Black people because they built his buildings.

Trump: “These lights are so bright in my eyes that I can’t see too many people out there. … I can only see the Black ones. I can’t see any white ones, you see. That’s how far I’ve come. … That’s a long way, isn’t it?”

Trump said Black people like him because he is “being discriminated against.”

Let’s not forget that Trump’s MAGAnomics agenda drove up Black unemployment rates, made college more expensive while attempting to slash funding for HBCUs, and his tax scam excluded people of color and those who needed the funding the most.

Associated Press: “President Donald Trump is exaggerating his role in bringing economic gains to black Americans.

“THE FACTS: Trump is seeking credit he doesn’t deserve for black job growth. He’s also wrong to assert that Democrats haven’t done anything to improve the economic situation for African Americans.”

New York Times: “The Tax Break for Children, Except the Ones Who Need It Most” 

“But children with the greatest economic needs are least likely to benefit.”

“While Republicans say the increase shows concern for ordinary families, 35 percent of children fail to receive the full $2,000 because their parents earn too little, researchers at Columbia University found. A quarter get a partial sum and 10 percent get nothing. Among those excluded from the full credit are half of Latinos, 53 percent of blacks and 70 percent of children with single mothers.”

KFF News: “2016-2018: The number of uninsured Black Americans increased by nearly 300,000 during the first two years of Trump’s administration, which marked the first increase in the Black uninsured rate since 2013.” 

Mother Jones: “Trump not only proposed no new funding for HBCUs, but also called for slashing millions of dollars from federal programs that support degree programs at the schools.”

“Taken together, these cuts would disproportionately affect low-income students at black colleges and cost the schools millions in revenue.”

Associated Press: “Education advocates say President Donald Trump’s budget contradicts his campaign pledge to make college more affordable with its proposed elimination of subsidized student loans and cuts in other programs that help students pay tuition. … When he accepted the Republican presidential nomination last year, Trump had said, ‘We’re going to work with all of our students who are drowning in debt to take the pressure off these people just starting out in their adult lives. Tremendous problem.’”