'Twas the night before Christmas, and the President of the United States tweeted this.
People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our c… https://t.co/TDmO0lcYHA
Trump's Christmas Eve post is part of a long line of statements playing into the rhetoric of a "war on Christmas."
During a Values Voter summit in October, Trump told the audience, "We are stopping cold the attacks on Judeo-Christian values."
"We’re getting near that beautiful Christmas season that people don’t talk about anymore," he added. "They don’t use the word 'Christmas' because it’s not politically correct, you go to department stores and they’ll say 'Happy New Year,' or they’ll say other things and it’ll be red, they’ll have it painted... Well, guess what? We’re saying 'merry Christmas!' again.”
A lot of Trump supporters reacted to his tweet positively, saying the president had kept a campaign promise.
The candidate @realDonaldTrump promised to bring "Merry Christmas" back. And on his first Noel as President @POTUS… https://t.co/YNntHSRa3U
However, other people have been quick to point out that people have never stopped saying 'merry Christmas,' and posted evidence of former president Obama saying it to prove it.
@sydnegrl @realDonaldTrump
Barack Obama said Merry Christmas every single effing year. There was no War on Christmas during Obama’s two term… https://t.co/rhF43LxR3F
To all those gathered in celebration today, Merry Christmas.
A number of Twitter users also pointed out that Trump seems to be contradicting himself, having tweeted "Happy Holidays" a number of times in the past.
There’s always a tweet...
Trump beats Trump in War on Christmas. Give him a participation trophy.
People also said that Trump's Christmas statements this year don't seem to mention Jesus or the Nativity story.
Zero references to Jesus or Christianity. It’s just the words Merry Christmas that have so much meaning to Donald T… https://t.co/E5krecHE9J
While others speculated about the motives behind his support for the narrative of a "war on Christmas."
Everyone needs to realize that this was never about Christmas. This is about creating an atmosphere of resentment,… https://t.co/CLechRiK1L
Some people imagined what things would be like if saying 'merry Christmas' was actually taboo.
i think trump actually thinks it was illegal to say merry christmas
I'm super proud of myself for bringing back the saying "Happy Birthday" after everyone tried to change it to "Merry… https://t.co/FL0WS2Ewjk
Thank you Mr. Trump. I used to have to write “Merry Christmas” on a little slip of paper and slide it across the ta… https://t.co/pKUHAL84G2
I’m afraid to say Merry Christmas- what if people think I voted for Trump?
Everything about Donald Trump being POTUS is fucked up. But perhaps the single most mind-achingly ridiculous aspect… https://t.co/oVjIVcsL81
@BeardedGenius Until today me and my family used to say it under our breath with a little nudge and a wink.
People were also disappointed he hadn't had a Scrooge-like awakening on Christmas Eve night.
Bad news - it looks like the three ghosts haven’t visited him. https://t.co/IXplRiC9dD
Merry Christmas, one and all!