The annual lighting of the White House Christmas tree is traditionally a heartwarming event, one that’s almost impossible to mishandle—unless your name is Donald Trump and it’s 2025.
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Typically, this festive occasion features the president offering some platitudes about the unifying spirit of Christmas, often with a script that seems borrowed from a Hallmark holiday film.
It’s a charming ritual marking the countdown to the end of another political year. But this year, the festivities took an unexpected turn with the appearance of the former president.
On the same day as the tree lighting, Trump took a moment to inform reporters about his past interactions with global leaders, stating:
“I was with a gentleman, the future king of Saudi Arabia. You’ve heard me mention this before, but two months ago, during my visit, he said, and Qatar is represented today, the UAE leader echoed the same sentiment—that one year ago, they thought our country was dead.”
However, it’s worth noting that Trump’s Saudi visit occurred nearly seven months prior, and the crown prince visited the White House just two weeks ago. Time appears to be a flexible concept for Trump, as does the accuracy of his statements.
One must wonder about the decision-making process that allowed this nearly 80-year-old figure to take center stage after dark to light the White House tree.
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