Trump and Biden offer Christmas greetings as US approaches transfer of power

As a change in presidential administrations approaches, President-elect Trump and President Biden both marked the Christmas holiday, with Biden acknowledging that it would be his last time as president to wish the nation a merry Christmas.

Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, exclaimed in a post on Truth Social, ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!’ In another post he shared a photo of himself and his wife Melania — the photo bore the message ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS!’

In a post on the @POTUS presidential X account, Biden said: ‘For the last time as your president, it’s my honor to wish all of America a very Merry Christmas. My hope for our nation, today and always, is that we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency. May God bless you all.’

A post on the @JoeBiden X account that features a photo of the president and first lady Jill Biden reads, ‘Merry Christmas, everyone!’

Trump – who defeated Vice President Harris in the November election – made history this year by becoming the second president ever to win election to two non-consecutive terms. The first was Grover Cleveland in the 19th century. While the new year will mark a new chapter in Trump’s political career, it also marks the end of Biden’s decades-long stint at the top levels of Washington politics. 

Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, bowed out of the 2024 presidential contest earlier this year in the face of tremendous pressure from within his party after a widely panned debate performance against Trump.