While it’s customary for politicians to deliver Christmas messages, the recent remarks made by US President Donald Trump on the occasion of Father Christmas have sparked controversy. On Christmas Eve, the President engaged with children anticipating Santa’s arrival, using the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) to monitor his journey worldwide.
Rather than focusing on the children’s holiday wishes, Trump revisited the 2020 presidential election, a topic that continues to divide supporters who falsely believe the election was ‘stolen’ from former President Joe Biden. This contentious issue led to a group of Trump supporters storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s victory.
Despite being re-elected since then, the 79-year-old seems fixated on his 2020 loss, as evidenced by his conversation with a five-year-old at Mar-a-Lago resort, where he claimed to have won Pennsylvania three times. He also connected the NORAD Santa tracker to the election, emphasizing his ties to certain states like Oklahoma.
These interactions during the broadcast were met with criticism on social media, with users describing Trump’s behavior as inappropriate and self-centered, particularly when discussing Santa with children. This isn’t the first time Trump has been criticized for his handling of holiday conversations, as seen in a previous incident in 2018.
Even on Christmas Day, Trump’s message took a negative turn, targeting what he referred to as “the Radical Left Scum” in a tweet from his official account. The divisive tone of his remarks continues to draw public attention and scrutiny.
Overall, Trump’s Christmas engagements have sparked debate and criticism, highlighting his ongoing focus on past election matters rather than traditional holiday cheer.