White House Issues Presidential Message on Mother's Day

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2026 — The White House released a presidential message on Mother's Day that credits the nation's mothers with 250 years of strengthening families, raising generations of Americans and instilling the values that drive national progress.

The message reaches every American household that includes a mother or that recognizes maternal influence. It applies to the estimated 85 million mothers in the United States, according to Census Bureau figures, and to the broader population whose early formation the statement traces directly to maternal example.

The message replaces the prior practice of issuing only routine proclamations by explicitly linking maternal conduct to the formation of national character. It takes effect immediately for public observance on May 10, 2026.

Downstream, federal agencies that administer family-support programs will encounter renewed emphasis on the maternal role when they draft guidance or performance metrics. States that receive federal grants for parenting education or early-childhood initiatives must now align public communications with the White House framing when they report outcomes.

Courts handling family-law matters will see the statement cited in amicus briefs that argue for maternal preference in custody or education disputes.

This is the second consecutive year the White House has used the Mother's Day message to connect family formation to national strength. The 2025 message used nearly identical language on values transmission. Congress has not passed legislation altering the statutory recognition of Mother's Day, which remains fixed by the Act of May 8, 1914, as a national observance on the second Sunday in May.