In a message shared at Christmas, President Donald Trump, not to mention the coronavirus pandemic, acknowledged the fact that many citizens were unable to be with their families at this year’s parties.
“The First Lady and I send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we celebrate Christmas. Although our meetings may look different from previous years, this Christmas, like every Christmas, is an opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and show our sincere gratitude for the abundant blessings God has bestowed on our life and country, “said the message.
The president continued to thank the many members of the army and the first respondents for their work and help throughout the year, writing that their “daily contributions are an example of God’s selfless love and remind us of the noble principles that we strive to live especially during this time of year. “
“We are eternally grateful to those who courageously serve our country in uniform – and to those who walk alongside them. We also thank the first respondents, police and frontline medical professionals who work tirelessly to serve and protect our communities,” the message continued.
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The message comes after Trump’s Christmas speech and first lady Melania Trump delivered on Thursday, in which they celebrated the two COVID-19 vaccines – one produced by Pfizer and BioNTech, the other by Moderna – as a “miracle” from Christmas”. The Trumps noted how grateful they are for the tireless efforts that scientists, researchers, industry workers and service members have made to not only develop the vaccine and distribute it to Americans before the holiday.
“As you know, this Christmas is different from last year. We are fighting a global pandemic that has affected us all,” Melania Trump said in the video. “Teachers worked extraordinarily hard to keep our children learning. Students delivered supplies to their older neighbors. Communities found new ways to stay connected.”
The president and his wife are spending Christmas in Florida, where they arrived on Thursday on the first day of their winter vacation. He was spotted playing golf at his golf club in Palm Beach by reporters, who were later told that Trump “will continue to work tirelessly for the American people. His agenda includes many meetings and calls,” according to an ABC report. News on Friday.
Trump left Congress leaders struggling through the holidays after demanding that Congress rewrite a year-end spending bill and remove some of the foreign financing included in the annual budget and increase stimulus checks from $ 600 to $ 2,000 . House Republicans rejected the proposal on Christmas Eve by blocking a Democratic proposal for unanimous consent to change the bill to increase the value of the check.
While the House will return on Monday to conduct a full vote on the measure, ABC News reporter Bill Gittleson reported on Friday that current congressional spending and the COVID relief project have arrived in Florida, where Trump can choose veto or approve the measure. It is not known whether the president will make a decision over the holiday weekend.
This story has been updated with additional background and information.