WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The outgoing and incoming US presidents had different messages over the Christmas holiday, with Democrat Joe Biden urging Americans to reflect and unite and Republican Donald Trump offering a holiday greeting and a series of politically-focused social media posts.
Biden recounted a video tour of the White House’s Christmas decorations that was posted on YouTube late on Christmas Eve, in which he urged Americans to put aside “all the noise and all that divides us.”
“We are here on this Earth to take care of each other, to love each other,” Biden said in a loud voice as the camera pans past the evergreen trees and ornate fireplace inside the White House. “Most of the time we see each other as enemies, not as neighbors, not as Americans,” he said.
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Biden urged Americans to take a moment of “peaceful reflection” to remind themselves to treat each other with dignity and respect, “live in the light” and remember that there is more to unite than divide Americans. “We are truly blessed to live in this nation,” he said.
Trump posted a “Merry Christmas” morning message on Truth Social on Christmas Day with a photo of himself and his wife Melania, followed by more than a dozen retweets of articles or other social media posts supporting his political positions on controversial topics including defense. Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and his pursuit of Greenland and the Panama Canal.
One was a funny meme of Barack Obama showing a photo of the 44th President and Trump at the 2017 inauguration with the message “When you see the guy who said ‘you’ll never be president’ at your inauguration.”
Biden took office in 2021 vowing to “end this illegal war against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal,” and said he withdrew from the 2024 presidential race in July to unite the country.
By some measures, the country’s division has increased instead, including during the 2024 campaign against Biden and Trump, and, before Democrat Kamala Harris took office.
Trump has called for the prosecution of those considered political enemies and vowed to reorganize the federal government.
(Reporting by Heather Timmons; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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