Overview

• President Trump posted on Truth Social during Juneteenth that too many non-working holidays cost the country billions of dollars and urged a reduction in federal holidays.
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the observance of Juneteenth but declined to say whether the president planned any formal celebration.
• Short-term economic analyses indicate that federal holidays temporarily lower productivity and can burden workers who cover for absent colleagues.
• A 2022 study found that leaving weekend holidays unscheduled on weekdays can boost GDP by up to 0.2 percent, highlighting uneven output effects.
• Longer-term research, including surveys by Microsoft and Ernst & Young, links paid time off to higher employee morale, better performance and increased consumer spending in key sectors.