Trump sends Christmas wishes to the troops from Mar-a-Lago

President Trump kicked off his Christmas Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida by participating in a video conference with American troops stationed around the world.  

‘I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas,’ the president said. ‘We say “Merry Christmas” again, very, very proudly,’ Trump added, repeating his position on saying ‘Merry Christmas’ over ‘Happy Holidays.’ 

The president spoke to various rooms full of military personnel – one from each branch – based in Qatar, Kuwait, in Guantanamo Bay and aboard the USS Sampson, per the White House pool report.

President Trump began his Christmas Eve by speaking to American troops stationed around the world via video conference 

President Trump is captured participating in a video conference with American troops from his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago 

President Trump is captured participating in a video conference with American troops from his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago 

Members of the media are seen at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Christmas Eve, leaving the president's video conference with military members 

Members of the media are seen at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Christmas Eve, leaving the president’s video conference with military members 

President Trump touted the fact that 'we say Christmas again very proudly,' as he talked to American servicemembers 

President Trump touted the fact that ‘we say Christmas again very proudly,’ as he talked to American servicemembers 

President Trump beckons to members of the media in the room as he participates in a video conference with American troops 

President Trump beckons to members of the media in the room as he participates in a video conference with American troops 

President Trump is spending the holidays at what he calls the 'Winter White House,' his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida 

President Trump is spending the holidays at what he calls the ‘Winter White House,’ his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida 

‘We’re going to have a great year, an incredible year,’ the president promised the military members. 

‘I’m thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people,’ Trump continued. 

‘Today and every day we’re incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous,’ he added. ‘Always underappreciated. Military families. The greatest people on earth.’  

As Trump addressed soldiers and then sailors, he, in particular, applauded the Coast Guard for its hurricane response.

‘Many Republicans are very happy, but I have to tell you the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, lots of other states are even more happy,’ the president said. ‘What a job you’ve done.’  

‘The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost, it’s unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved,’ Trump continued. ‘So I want to congratulate the Coast Guard for having done an incredible job.’   

Trump then told the servicemembers he would answer some of their questions, though, first, asked the members of the media in the room, capturing the conversation, to leave. 

‘We’re going to be speaking with the wonderful people of the media and asking them to leave,’ Trump said. ‘Enjoy yourselves. Really appreciate it, have a great Christmas and we’re going to do some very personal questions between these great people and myself.’ 

‘If I don’t see you during the day, have a great holiday and a great Christmas, thank you very much,’ he said as the pool reporters were being ushered out.  

Later in the day, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump will participate in NORAD Santa tracker phone calls. 

Earlier in the week, Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Afghanistan where he told the troops there that President Trump wanted servicemembers to know that ‘I love them.’

Despite the approaching holiday, the president has been on a Twitter kick for most of the weekend. 

The president had latched on to news that the FBI’s Deputy Director Andrew McCabe planned to retire. 

Trump’s suggested that McCabe is guilty of political bias because McCabe’s wife was given a campaign donation from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe’s political action committee.

McAuliffe is a longtime political ally of Bill and Hillary Clinton. 

In a Sunday morning tweet, the president tagged Fox News and quoted the network saying that McCabe ‘in addition to his wife getting all of this money from M (Clinton Puppet), he was using, allegedly, his FBI Official Email Account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do this. These were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton,’ Trump wrote. 

The ‘M’ in his tweet stands for McAuliffe. 

The president, seemingly rattled by new polling data, also sent out a Christmas Eve tweet attacking the ‘fake news.’ 

‘The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is,’ Trump wrote. ‘They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News.’

‘Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well – nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’ Trump said. 



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