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In a recent holiday season, several U.S. government agencies and officials from the Trump administration sparked debate by incorporating religious elements into their Christmas messages. These messages, which prominently recognized the birth of Jesus Christ, drew criticism from those advocating for a clear separation between church and state.
Notably, the Department of Homeland Security and prominent figures like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were among those who shared Bible verses. Their communications emphasized the celebration of Christmas as a commemoration of “the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
“Rejoice America, Christ is born!” DHS wrote in a post on X, which also included a video with the song, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
“Merry Christmas to all,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X. “Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May His light bring peace, hope, and joy to you and our families.”
This approach was a significant departure from the traditionally more secular Christmas messages typically issued by government entities, which often focus on themes like Santa Claus and reindeer. The Washington Post highlighted this shift, noting the divergence from previous norms.
Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, expressed concerns regarding these messages. She emphasized that the U.S. Constitution’s commitment to separating church and state has facilitated religious diversity, allowing various Christian denominations and other faiths to thrive in America.
Reactions were mixed. Some individuals took to social media to criticize the Department of Homeland Security’s Christmas post, labeling it as “unconstitutional” and an “inappropriate use of official government channels.” Conversely, others supported the messages, stating that this expression of faith was precisely what they had voted for.
The Washington Post reported that the 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.”
People such as Rachel Laser, who serves as the president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, also stated that the U.S. Constitution’s “promise of church-state separation has allowed religious diversity — including different denominations of Christianity — to flourish in America”:
The 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. The posts provided the latest example of the administration’s efforts to promote the cultural views and languages of Trump’s evangelical Christian base.
That drew criticism from advocates of a strict separation of church and state.
Those social media posts are “one more example of the Christian Nationalist rhetoric the Trump administration has disseminated since Day One in office,” Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a statement. “Our Constitution’s promise of church-state separation has allowed religious diversity — including different denominations of Christianity — to flourish in America.”
While several people took to social media to claim DHS’s Christmas post was “unconstitutional” and an “inappropriate use of official government channels,” others said this is what they had voted for.
“Pretty sure this post is unconstitutional,” one person said.
“Inappropriate use of official government channels,” one person wrote.
“Praise God!” one person wrote. “I vote for my government to promote the true religion.”
“I voted for this,” Benny Johnson, the host of The Benny Show, wrote in a post.
