Washington Post slammed for calling Trump officials' Christ-centered Christmas posts 'sectarian'

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By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Monday, December 29, 2025Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain/Michael FleischhackerWikimedia Commons/Public Domain/Michael Fleischhacker

The Washington Post faced criticism for an article and X post last week that described Christmas messages from Trump administration officials as "sectarian" because they mentioned Jesus Christ as Savior.

"Officials in President Trump's administration posted overtly sectarian messages for Christmas, such as a day to celebrate the birth of 'our Savior Jesus Christ,'" the official X account on The Washington Post posted last Friday, a day after Christmas. "The messages sharply diverged from a tradition of secular holiday messages."

The article, written by Azi Paybarah, highlighted two social media posts commemorating Christmas — the holiday honoring the birth of Jesus Christ — from the official X accounts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which twiceproclaimed "Christ is Born!" and "We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior."

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Justice Department Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also issued similar Christmas messages. On Christmas morning, Hegseth tweeted: "Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May His light bring peace, hope, and joy to you and your families."

When reached for comment about Hegseth's post, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson reportedly told The Washington Post: "Merry Christmas to all, even the fake news Washington Post!"

Paybarah's article claimed such 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," and claimed they "provided the latest example of the administration's efforts to promote the cultural views and language of Trump's evangelical Christian base."

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the progressive secular advocacy organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State, characterized the posts as "one more example of the Christian Nationalist rhetoric the Trump administration has disseminated since Day One in office."

The WaPo article was met with criticism on social media, including from some administration officials, pointing out that the overtly Christian basis of Christmas is found in the holiday's name.

"Imagine how unhappy a person you have to be to write something like this. These people need Jesus," said Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Mark Meador.

"You really do not hate the media scum enough," wrote Sebastian Gorka, the deputy assistant to the president and counterterrorism advisor. "Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, the Son of God."

Gorka asserted that Christianity is fundamental to Western civilization and the United States, especially the rights of which emerged from such a worldview.

"Our Republic was founded by men of God, based on Western Christian values. The West is the greatest civilization Mankind has ever known since it predicates rights given by God," he said.

"The 'Christ' in Christmas is a pretty strong signal that the entire foundation of the holiday is Christian," posted The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis. "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."

"Christmas is not a 'secular holiday.' Please see the name 'Christ-mas,'" wrote William Wolfe, who serves as executive director of the Center for Baptist Leadership.

Conservative writer Chad Felix Greene implied that left-wing anger over the Trump administration commemorating Christmas is hypocritical, given that Democrats have used the Christmas story to attack the administration or make other political points.

"It's only OK to cite Christian ideals if you're attacking Republicans and exploiting it for politics," Greene said, citing examples of Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who recently reposted stories that likened the federal enforcement of immigration law to shutting the Holy Family out of the guest rooms in Bethlehem.

Swalwell's rhetoric has been echoed by others in recent weeks, including Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, who drew scorn and accusations of "false teaching" when he compared Mary and Joseph to illegal immigrants during a Dec. 16 press briefing.

O'Hara clarified to The Christian Post in a statement earlier this month that his "reference to Mary and Joseph was meant to be simple and human: they were far from home, seeking shelter, and likely felt like outsiders themselves."

Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to [email protected]