President Donald Trump—who proclaimed Sunday he was the "least racist person" a reporter had ever interviewed—is reportedly foregoing the traditional act of service past presidents have honored on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and, with no public events on his reported schedule, was seen heading to his private golf club in Florida instead.
As CNN reports:
Trump is not scheduled to partake in any service projects on the federal holiday he and every other US president have designated as a "day of service" since 1994. Instead, he arrived Monday morning at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The only event on the public schedule released daily by the White House is the flight that will take him back to Washington in the afternoon.
About two hours after Trump arrived at the course, the White House released a video of the president offering a message in honor of King's legacy. Though it was actually unclear if Trump was on the course or just inside the clubhouse, he did find the time to tweet out the video:
"Dr. King's dream is our dream. It is the American Dream. It's the promise stitched into the fabric of our Nation, etched into the hearts of our people, and written into the soul of humankind." pic.twitter.com/tyUZGTecDY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 15, 2018
In the press and on social media, Trump was not spared for what appeared to many as contempt for a day that is specifically set aside for Americans to find some way, large or small, to honor King's commitment to service and the betterment of society:
While the people celebrate #MLKDay and all that Dr. King stood for, our "leader" will be celebrating himself. Let that sink in. https://t.co/EfHSWaWnqK
— Marshall 4 House (@Marshall4House) January 15, 2018
Past Presidents Volunteered On MLK Day. Donald Trump Is Spending It At His Golf Club.https://t.co/VjYvlN5Q94
— Doctor Paula (@drpaula65) January 15, 2018
Shared from my Google feed
Trump said Americans should spend MLK Jr Day doing community service.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 15, 2018
Today he’s at his golf course. https://t.co/A13x9VlkWK
