“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.”
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.”
I think the White House has released a Juneteenth message every year since elected. And he continued: "I don’t think it was put up by others. But we made people aware of it, and it’s good." Obama issued Juneteenth messages. Bush issued Juneteenth messages. For all I know Clinton issued them as well. Trump didn't invent it.
Similarly, one year I was in Germany on Ascension Day, a government holiday. My co-workers knew only that it was a day off.
In Massachusetts one time I learned about Bunker Hill Day.
My point is that there are lots of holidays people don't know about and ignorance of Juneteenth shouldn't be any big deal.