Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney has put forth a bill aiming to designate President Donald Trump’s birthday as a federal holiday.
Entitled the Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day Holiday Establishment Act, the proposal seeks to establish June 14 as a federal holiday to celebrate both Trump’s birthday and Flag Day.
“Just like George Washington’s Birthday is recognized as a federal holiday, this bill aims to include Trump’s Birthday in that category, honoring him as the architect of America’s Golden Age,” Tenney, a representative from New York, stated in a news release.
Although Flag Day is observed nationally, it is not currently a federal holiday, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“By establishing Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day as a federal holiday, we will honor President Trump’s contributions to the greatness of America and the significance of the American Flag, which will be enshrined in law,” Tenney added.
Mount Rushmore and a third term
Tenney’s proposal isn’t the only initiative being raised by Republican lawmakers to honor Trump.
In January, Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced legislation to have Trump’s likeness carved into Mount Rushmore, positioning his figure alongside that of former President Abraham Lincoln.
“President Trump’s courageous leadership and unwavering commitment to the greatness of America have solidified his place in history,” Luna remarked in a statement. “Mount Rushmore, an enduring symbol of our nation’s freedom and strength, deserves to represent his monumental legacy—a legacy further strengthened by the dynamic start to his second term.”
In the same month, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles from Tennessee also proposed a motion to honor the president. Ogles introduced a House Joint Resolution aimed at amending the Constitution to permit a President to serve a third term.
“President Trump’s decisive leadership starkly contrasts with the chaos, suffering, and economic downturn that Americans have faced in recent years,” Ogles said in a news release. “This amendment would enable President Trump to serve for three terms, ensuring that we maintain the strong leadership our country desperately requires.”
However, Ogles’ resolution would prevent former presidents like Barack Obama from serving a third term since it excludes presidents who have completed consecutive terms.
Democrats have pushed back against the bills
Following Ogles’ introduction of a resolution aimed at allowing Trump a third term, Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman of New York voiced his disapproval of Ogles’ proposal.
“Donald Trump’s behavior has become predictable: he ‘jokes’ about something that is unconstitutional or authoritarian; normalizes the ‘joke’; and allows sycophantic Republicans to take the ‘joke’ seriously until it becomes a standard belief within the MAGA movement,” Goldman stated in a news release.
Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen from Tennessee remarked to Axios that “two terms is enough chaos for any nation to bear.”
Contributing: Kinsey Crowley
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
