US President Joe Biden and his incoming successor Donald Trump issued starkly contrasting Christmas messages on Wednesday, with the latter doubling down on recent comments about seizing the Panama Canal, buying Greenland and annexing Canada.
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While Biden posted a short, traditional seasonal message about “kindness and compassion,” Trump fired off a rapid volley of three dozen posts through the day, with his Christmas messages directly addressing “radical left lunatics” and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high.”
“Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics, who are constantly trying to obstruct our Court System and our Elections,” the US president-elect said in one message, using his characteristically erratic style of capitalisation.
He spent Christmas Day firing off on his Truth Social website about his own perceived political persecution – a contrast to Biden’s holiday wishes “to all Americans”.
The Republican’s comeback electoral win in November came on the back of heightened political polarisation and division across the country, which Trump leaned into in his posts.
Trump posted a photo showing himself as “patriot of the year,” and another smirking at former president Barack Obama, a Democrat.