Continuing his quest to Make America Merry Again, President Trump delivered a powerful message about the birth of Jesus Christ as he addressed the crowd during the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.
“In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge lit the first National Christmas tree,” President Trump began, as reported by LifeSiteNews. “Later that night, African-American community centers held an outdoor worship service on these grounds, and during that service, the Washington Monument was illuminated with a beautiful cross, a powerful reminder of the meaning of Christmas.”
The president then spoke of the three wise men and how the birth of Christ inspires us all to love one another with open hearts.
“More than two thousand years ago, a brilliant star shown in the east. Wise men traveled far and they came and they stood under the star where they found the Holy Family, in Bethlehem,” the president said. “As the Bible tells us, when the wise men had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. Christians give thanks that the Son of God came into the world to save humanity. Jesus Christ inspires us to love one another with hearts full of generosity and grace.”
President Trump then tipped his hat to David and Sharron Hudson of the Salvation Army, an organization that has increasingly been inundated with false accusations of homophobia from the radical Left in recent days. Those accusations boiled over into absurdity when LGBT activists began criticizing South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg for once having volunteered for the organization.
“Joining us today are David and Sharron Hudson of the Salvation Army,” the president said. “Each year, through their Angel Tree program, the Salvation Army brings new gifts to more than 600,000 children. David and Sharron are an inspiration to us all. And, David and Sharron, thank you very much for being with us. Thank you.”
As the president concluded, he reminded the audience that every human being is a child of God and wished the whole country a Merry Christmas.
“At Christmas we remember this eternal truth: Every person is a beloved child of God,” he concluded. “As one grateful nation we praise the joy of family, the blessings of freedom, and the miracle of Christmas. On behalf of Melania and our entire family, Merry Christmas, and God bless you all.”
During the campaign of 2016 and following his election, President Trump promised to buck the culture of political correctness he saw during the Christmas season. Accordingly, Trump denounced the phrase, “Happy Holidays.”
“We’re getting near that beautiful Christmas season that people don’t talk about anymore. They don’t use the word Christmas because it’s not politically correct,” he said to a crowd in 2017. “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. But they don’t say — well guess what? We’re saying Merry Christmas again.”
Though President Obama did say “Happy Holidays” for the White House Christmas card, he did use the phrase “Merry Christmas” during the National Tree lighting.