President Donald Trump proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday evening, after he was criticized by civil rights activists for breaking from tradition by failing to recognize King’s legacy or attending commemorations of the holiday.

In the past, presidents issued statements about King even before the federal holiday. Toward the end of Trump’s first term in 2021, when MLK Day fell on Jan. 18, his proclamation was issued on Jan. 15, King’s birthday. Last year, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation on Jan. 17, days before the holiday.

Each year, the United States celebrates King’s legacy with a federal holiday on the third Monday of January. King played an instrumental role in the Civil Rights Movement, which called for an end to racial segregation and discrimination.

Presidents usually attend parades and commemorative services held in his honor. The federal holiday was created in 1983 by legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan, 15 years after King was assassinated. President Bill Clinton signed legislation in 1994 designating it as a day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer in their communities.

Trump Did Not Attend MLK Day Events

Trump did not attend MLK Day events on Monday, spending the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. In the proclamation, Trump said he had honored King last year by declassifying documents related to his assassination. Several noted historians said at the time, however, that there was little of note in these documents and most of King’s family had opposed their release.

“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 proclamation said.

The lack of a proclamation for most of Monday was criticized by civil rights groups, including the NAACP.

In a social media post Monday, Bernice King, King’s daughter, called on Americans to remember her father by, among other things, “amplifying and advocating for the end of state-sanctioned and facilitated violence against Black and Brown immigrants and against people, period.”

Trump’s MLK Day proclamation was not shared by the White House or the president on their social media accounts, which have posted throughout the day about immigration enforcement actions and the college football championship in Miami, which Trump attended Monday night.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Francesca Regalado/Allison Robbert
c. 2026 The New York Times Company