President Donald Trump has signed an executive order granting federal employees two additional days of holiday leave around Christmas, a move that follows his public criticism of what he termed "too many non-working holidays" earlier this year.
Executive Order Details and Holiday Schedule
The order, signed on Thursday 19 December 2025, mandates the closure of federal agencies and excuses employees from work on both Christmas Eve (24 December) and Boxing Day (26 December). This creates a three-day break from Wednesday through Friday, inclusive of Christmas Day itself. The president's directive notes that some agency heads may determine that certain essential offices or installations must remain open, requiring specific employees to report for duty on those days.
With this addition, the total number of federal holidays for the year reaches 13. This is not the first time these specific days have been designated; Trump made Christmas Eve a federal holiday during his first term in 2019 and 2020, while former President Barack Obama previously did the same for 26 December.
Contrast with Earlier Juneteenth Comments
This festive generosity stands in stark contrast to the president's remarks on 19 June this year, the date of the Juneteenth federal holiday. Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved Americans in 1865, was established as a permanent federal holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021.
On that day, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to complain, stating: "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 once working day of the year." He specifically cited there being "too many non-working holidays in America."
Broader Context and Policy Shifts
The holiday announcement occurs within a wider context of policy changes since Trump's re-election. A central focus of his administration has been the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes, with a series of executive orders cracking down on such efforts within the federal government.
In a related development earlier this month, the National Park Service (NPS) unveiled a new free-admission policy set to begin on 1 January. The policy offers free entry to US residents on several federal holidays, including President Trump's birthday. Notably, the benefit is excluded from Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.
The other days offering free park admission in 2026 will be Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (27 October), and the anniversary of the creation of the Park Service (25 August). The NPS also announced higher admission fees for international visitors.
It is important to note that for a holiday to become a permanent federal fixture, Congress must pass legislation and the president must sign it into law. The recent executive order applies specifically to the current holiday period.
