Trump Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month for First Time at White House

President Donald Trump led a ceremony Wednesday at the White House for National Hispanic Heritage Month. It is the first time he has officially celebrated this observance during his second term, after not organizing a similar event in 2025.

The ceremony took place at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the East Room of the White House. The event was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, along with his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy.

The event occurred little more than a month before the midterm legislative elections scheduled for November. In that context, support from Hispanic voters has returned to a central place in the political debate in the United States.

The Hispanic support that drove Trump’s return

In the 2024 presidential elections, 48% of Latino voters backed Trump. It was the highest percentage he obtained from this electorate in his three presidential campaigns, according to data collected by CBS News.

That support has changed during his second term in the White House. Among Hispanics who voted for Trump in 2024, his approval fell to 66% in April of this year, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center. That represents a drop of 27 percentage points from the beginning of his second term.

The decline occurs as the administration has hardened its immigration policy, with more arrests and deportations and new actions to expel people from the country. Other polls, such as CNN’s, placed Trump’s overall approval among Hispanics at just 23%.

A Republican congresswoman’s warning on immigration

The immigration debate also prompted an unusual warning within Republican ranks. Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, representative of a Florida district with a significant Hispanic population, publicly questioned some of the immigration actions promoted by Trump.

Salazar stated, in a campaign announcement released this month, that certain immigration enforcement measures «have gone too far.» She asserted that some of the Hispanics who helped the Republican win the 2024 elections «feel betrayed today,» according to reporting by CBS News.

Days later, the congresswoman said she spoke directly with Trump to ask him to maintain the support that Hispanic voters gave to the Republican Party in 2024. Trump responded with a wave of criticism toward Salazar on his social network, weeks after having given her his endorsement for reelection.

Trump had already celebrated Hispanic Heritage before

Trump’s relationship with this commemoration did not begin with his second term. During his first time in the White House, the president participated in various activities for National Hispanic Heritage Month.

In 2017, the White House organized a celebration with Hispanic business, religious, and community leaders. The following year, it held a similar reception.

In 2019, Trump led another ceremony in the East Room of the White House. On that occasion, he spoke about employment, the economy, border security, and the support he said he was gaining among Hispanic voters.

What message the White House will carry this year

The White House indicated that Trump will highlight accomplishments that, according to his administration, have benefited the Hispanic community. Among them, it mentioned tax cuts for working families and a decline in the Hispanic poverty rate to a historic low, according to Washington Examiner.

Rubio said the commemoration seeks to pay tribute to Hispanics who have contributed to «every sphere» of American society. However, the ceremony contrasts with the government’s immigration agenda, which critics believe disproportionately affects the Hispanic population.

This year’s ceremony occurs in a different scenario than Trump’s first celebrations. His government has strengthened immigration control, detention, and deportation operations, measures that generated criticism and intense political debate within and outside the Republican Party.

With legislative elections drawing closer, both parties will watch closely how the Hispanic electorate responds in the coming weeks. Those who want to learn more about the status of current immigration policy can consult the official pages of USCIS and DHS directly before making decisions about their status.