The Trump administration did not back down when the Washington Post chastised the executive branch for “hailing Christmas in explicitly sectarian terms.”
The outlet went so far as to report it as the latest example of Christian nationalism from the administration.
Several of President Donald Trump’s officials or agency social media accounts posted messages celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
For example, the Department of Homeland Security shared a one-minute video set to the tune “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” with the lyrics “glory to the newborn king… with angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’” The video ends with the words on the screen, “Chris is born.”
Rejoice America, Christ is born! pic.twitter.com/tZgLyTxkVn
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 25, 2025
Another DHS post read, “Merry Christmas. We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior.”
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, who is not a Christian, posted a Christmas message, saying, “As Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we are reminded that this country was founded on principles of religious liberty …”
“Every day we find opportunities to go to court to protect Christians from discrimination wherever we find it,” she added.
Merry Christmas!
Wishing Christians nationwide a wonderful day filled with joy and peace, celebrating the birth of Jesus! pic.twitter.com/dlQkgKVhwM
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) December 24, 2025
And Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote in an X post, “This season brings out the very best of the American spirit with neighbors helping neighbors, communities lifting one another up, and hearts turning toward gratitude.
“That spirit began on the very first Christmas, when God gave us the greatest gift of all: His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ,” she offered.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!🎄
This season brings out the very best of the American spirit with neighbors helping neighbors, communities lifting one another up, and hearts turning toward gratitude.
That spirit began on the very first Christmas, when God gave us… pic.twitter.com/2pkVyT4WBd
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) December 25, 2025
All these social media posts were too much for The Washington Post’s Azi Paybarah, who wrote, “The messages sharply diverged from the more secular, Santa Claus-and-reindeer style of Christmas messages that have been the norm for government agencies for years. The posts provided the latest example of the administration’s efforts to promote the cultural views and language of Trump’s evangelical Christian base.”
Merry Christmas!
Wishing you and your family a day filled with lasting memories as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) December 25, 2025
Paybarah quoted Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, saying, the social media posts are “one more example of the Christian Nationalist rhetoric the Trump administration has disseminated since Day One in office.
“Our Constitution’s promise of church-state separation has allowed religious diversity — including different denominations of Christianity — to flourish in America,” Laser continued. “People of all religions and none should not have to sift through proselytizing messages to access government information.
She concluded, “It’s divisive and un-American.”
Fox News reached out to the Trump White House for a comment, and spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded by standing by the officials’ posts.
“While the Washington Post would prefer we stick to ‘Happy Holidays,’ we’re saying Merry Christmas again. And Christmas is a Christian holiday for millions of Christians celebrating the birth of their Savior, whether the Washington Post likes it or not,” Jackson said in a statement.
‘ABSOLUTE CLOWNS’: The White House fires back after a Washington Post article criticized the Trump administration’s “explicitly sectarian” Christmas messaging, saying “Christmas is a Christian holiday for millions of Christians celebrating the birth of their Savior, whether the… pic.twitter.com/7eRGs7oYNI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 29, 2025
The Federalist CEO Sean Davis also made it clear just how silly The Washington Post story is.
“The ‘Christ’ in Christmas is a pretty strong signal that the entire foundation of the holiday is Christian. In fact, it might even be a sign that the whole reason for the season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God’s Son. You absolute clowns,” he posted on X.
The “Christ” in Christmas is a pretty strong signal that the entire foundation of the holiday is Christian. In fact, it might even be a sign that the whole
reason for the season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God’s Son. You absolute clowns. https://t.co/huZTMD66si— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 27, 2025
Contrary to what Laser argued, there is nothing in the First Amendment that blocks Trump officials from posting Christian messages in sectarian terms. What it specifically states is, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Posting Christmas messages in no way forces Americans to believe or support what is written; therefore, no religion is being established by the government.
Further, presidents going back to the founding of the republic have freely spoken about faith in their official capacities.
“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” —George Washington, 1789 pic.twitter.com/i4i9HLJvfk
— U.S. Department of Labor (@USDOL) December 27, 2025
President Franklin Roosevelt argued during World War II that the fight against Nazi Germany was to preserve “Christian civilization,” and put a message in front of all the Bibles distributed to soldiers, encouraging them to read and find strength in its truths.
The first page of the Bible FDR sent to every member of the armed forces right before WWII.
Many Big Think reporters are historically illiterate. https://t.co/HVpRhXeOwn pic.twitter.com/JfFF8QAiP3
— Nick Solheim (@NickSolheim) December 27, 2025
Trump administration officials are in the right. So they should continue to post Christian messages, regardless of what those in the liberal media say.
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