US President Donald Trump marked the Christmas holiday with a stark combination of military force and political vitriol, ordering airstrikes in Nigeria while lashing out at domestic opponents on his social media platform.
Military Action as a 'Christmas Present'
In a significant military move, President Trump authorized airstrikes against jihadist camps in northern Nigeria on Thursday, December 26. He described the operation as a surprise 'Christmas present' intended to decimate militant strongholds.
Speaking to Politico, Trump revealed he personally delayed the action until Thursday to maximize the element of surprise, claiming the strikes hit 'every camp' involved. He framed the assault as direct retaliation for what he called the 'slaughter of Christians' in the West African nation.
A Holiday of Grievance and Warnings
Far from spreading seasonal goodwill, Trump used his Truth Social feed on Tuesday and Wednesday to project a message of grievance. He branded his political rivals as 'radical leftist scum' in a caustic Christmas greeting.
The rhetoric escalated on Thursday with a cryptic warning: 'Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas.' This was widely interpreted as a threat directed at Democrats, hinting at potential revelations from the pending full release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Contrasting sharply with the president's personal posts, the official White House statement, signed by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, was a traditional, scripture-heavy message. It invoked God seven times, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and praying for divine peace.
Christianity at the Forefront of Policy
The administration's Christmas messaging heavily emphasized Christian faith across various departments. The Homeland Security Department urged remembrance of 'the miracle of Christ’s birth,' while Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a nativity scene.
This push aligns with a broader trend within the Trump administration to intertwine Christian doctrine with governance. Vice President JD Vance, a convert to Catholicism, has been a leading voice for this vision. At a recent Turning Point USA rally, he declared, 'We have been, and by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian nation,' arguing that Christian principles must be central to all government policy.
Trump himself, though not a regular churchgoer, has increasingly framed his presidency in personal, messianic terms. In his January inauguration speech, he suggested God saved him from assassination to fulfill America's destiny. His administration has sold branded Bibles, established a White House Office of Faith, and prominently featured imagery of him praying.
Despite this, Trump has expressed uncertainty about his own spiritual standing, telling Fox News in August, 'I want to try and get to heaven if possible,' and linking his prospects to brokering peace in Ukraine. In a bleaker moment on October 15, he remarked, 'I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to get me into heaven.'
Notably, the 79-year-old president spent the Christmas holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, with his official schedule showing no attendance at a church service.
