(The Hill) — President Donald Trump issued an executive order Thursday declaring Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 as federal holidays this year.
The order will result in federal agencies being closed and employees excused from duty next Wednesday through Friday, as Christmas Day is already a federal holiday. Trump noted, though, that agency heads “may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty” on Dec. 24 or 26.
During his first term, the president designated Christmas Eve as a federal holiday in 2019 and 2020. In those years, Dec. 24 fell on a Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Former President Barack Obama did the same for Dec. 26 in 2014, as the day after Christmas fell on a Friday.
In May, Trump declared national holidays on Nov. 11 and May 8 to commemorate victories in World War I and World War II, respectively.
Nov. 11 was already celebrated as Veterans Day, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified in May that the administration will not rename the holiday. Instead, the president sent out an additional proclamation commemorating the Allies’ victory in World War I.
With the two additional holidays next week, that marks 13 federal holidays this year: New Year’s Day, Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Trump’s inauguration, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Dec. 26.
To establish a permanent federal holiday, Congress must pass such legislation and the president must sign it into law. The most recent federal holiday added to the calendar was Juneteenth in 2021, under former President Joe Biden.