President Donald Trump issued a statement on December 6 commemorating the 160th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment, highlighting the constitutional abolition of slavery and connecting the milestone to America’s upcoming 250th independence celebration.
The White House message quoted directly from the amendment, which was ratified on December 6, 1865, and formally ended slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States except as punishment for a crime. President Trump described the ratification as a “morally defining moment” in the Nation’s history and reaffirmed what he called the country’s long-standing commitment to freedom, equal justice, and human dignity, according to the statement.
The message invoked President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, noting his declaration that the Nation was “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
The White House also referenced Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate-held areas before requiring a constitutional amendment to permanently end slavery.
The statement noted that Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, eight months before the amendment’s ratification. It said his “timeless example of justice, unity, and statesmanship” continues to inspire Americans and guides national principles today.
“To further President Lincoln’s vision, my Administration is working tirelessly to ensure that America will always be guided by the principles he cherished so deeply and that we will remain the freest, safest, and most prosperous Nation in the history of the world,” President Trump stated.
The White House message also honored abolitionists who “dedicated their lives to upholding the American promise” and described the amendment’s ratification as an enduring affirmation of the Nation’s character.
The proclamation concluded by linking the commemoration to preparations for America’s 250th anniversary, saying the abolition of slavery remains a central milestone in the country’s development.
