This week marked the Midterm Elections in the United States, a time when Americans exercise their right to vote and try not to put their trust in princes. Election Day is a time-honored tradition, similar to other important days on the civic calendar. The US Government, led by a president since 1789, has a long history of issuing official proclamations for important holidays and remembrances. In America’s first presidential proclamation, George Washington designated November 26, 1789 as a “national day of public thanksgiving and prayer.” It encouraged Americans to thank the Lord for their nation’s independence, its new constitution, and “the blessings of liberty.”
Like many traditions that started with Washington, presidential proclamations have continued to be a mainstay in American life ever since. With the exception of James Garfield and William Henry Harrison, both of whom died within months of taking office, every US President has issued proclamations for special days. The most common presidential proclamations through the years have been for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and national days of prayer. Other proclamations have been issued for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Columbus Day, and national days of mourning.
The days that presidents choose to honor with a proclamation tend to indicate what that administration values. For example, in 1983, Ronald Reagan instituted Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an annual national holiday to honor the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement. And on Good Friday 2024, Joe Biden issued a proclamation that Easter Sunday would be celebrated as Transgender Day of Visibility.
On October 31, 2026, Donald Trump surprised the theological world by issuing a proclamation for a Christian holiday that had never before been recognized by the US Government: Reformation Day. His presidential proclamation read as follows:
“From the earliest days of our Republic, prayer and faith in Almighty God have stood as the foundation of our strength, the source of our unity, and the fount of our greatness. This Reformation Day, I send my best wishes to the countless Christians across our country commemorating the Protestant Reformation and its enduring message of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
“Five hundred years ago, William Tyndale—inspired by the work of Martin Luther—advanced the Protestant Reformation’s devotion to Holy Scripture through the publication of the first New Testament printed in English, shaping the language of the Bibles that would fortify the faith and resolve of America’s founding generation. The Sacred Scriptures helped form the religious convictions that formed our young Nation’s founding ideals of God-given rights and individual liberty, a spiritual inheritance we honor as we continue to reflect on 250 glorious years of American Independence. The Bible remains a cornerstone of our Nation’s character and upholds our steadfast devotion to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"Guided by an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, my Administration is working to restore the moral and religious foundations that have sustained our Republic for generations. As President, I will always support citizens of faith and defend their place in the public square, honoring the enduring role of our churches in strengthening families, serving communities, and preserving the core values that have anchored us across the centuries.
"As Christians across our country unite in faith and fellowship this Reformation Day, I send my heartfelt prayers for a meaningful celebration and encourage each of you to draw renewed strength from God’s Word as we carry forward the blessings of faith and freedom throughout our beloved Nation.”
Such a moving recognition of the movement that rediscovered the Gospel was not something I expected to come from this presidential administration. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that Donald Trump had any part in writing this decree. An unknown Lutheran or Presbyterian in his Cabinet likely wrote it and submitted it to Trump for approval. But Trump deserves credit for agreeing to publicly acknowledge and affirm Reformation Day by signing his name to it. As frustrated as I get with our current president, and as disappointed as I am with him at times, moments like this make me proud to have a president who is willing to listen to and elevate Christ-centered messages and values. Donald Trump falls far short of the moral ideal Americans expect in their leaders, but this humble and unprecedented proclamation is a gold star on his record that I will never forget.
Jonathan Kettler is a history teacher at Brandon High School.
