Trump's loving 3-word comment to Melania as she lights tree

 

During this year’s National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump and Melania appeared together on stage as the first lady carried out the countdown and flipped the switch. As she lit the 35-foot red spruce from Virginia’s George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Trump leaned toward her and said, “Good job, honey,” before turning to face the cameras.

After the lighting, Trump delivered a short message that viewers could see him reading from the prompter. He offered holiday greetings and recognized military personnel, including the National Guard officer Sarah Beckstrom, who recently lost her life in a targeted attack. His remarks wrapped up with the familiar lines: “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah,” and “Happy New Year for all.”

The event featured performances by the Beach Boys and Alana Springsteen, adding to the festive atmosphere. According to the National Park Service, the tradition of lighting a national tree dates back to 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit the first one—a 48-foot Balsam Fir from Vermont decorated with red, white, and green lights.

This ceremony also followed Melania’s earlier reception of the White House Christmas tree, a tall white fir from Michigan delivered on a horse-drawn carriage pulled by two Clydesdales named Logan and Ben. She described it as “a beautiful tree” while posing for photographers.

That 18½-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room, supplied by Korson’s Tree Farms this year’s winner of the National Christmas Tree Association’s competition, a tradition dating back to 1966. Melania also revealed the White House holiday theme, “Home Is Where The Heart Is,” highlighting the residence’s seasonal décor, which includes dozens of wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, hundreds of feet of garland, thousands of light strands, and an impressive amount of gingerbread.