Donald Trump has frequently emphasized the importance of using the phrase “Merry Christmas,” often suggesting it had fallen out of favor in public life.

He has repeatedly argued that the alternative greeting “Happy Holidays” symbolized a broader cultural shift he disagreed with.

At a campaign rally in Georgia in December 2020, he addressed the topic directly, opening his remarks by wishing the crowd a “very merry Christmas” and suggesting that the phrase had once been discouraged. He told supporters that he believed efforts were being made to remove the word “Christmas” from everyday language, but claimed it had since returned to common use.

The following year, during a televised Christmas special hosted by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Trump was credited with helping bring renewed attention to the phrase.

Huckabee remarked that, in the years leading up to the 2016 presidential election, many people and businesses appeared hesitant to use “Merry Christmas,” and suggested Trump had helped change that trend.

Trump agreed with the assessment, stating that some retailers had avoided the phrase despite using traditional holiday imagery. He said that during his campaign, he intentionally used “Merry Christmas” frequently and believed that doing so encouraged others to do the same.

However, online users later highlighted an apparent inconsistency.

Archived posts from December 2010 show Trump himself using the phrase “Happy Holidays,” which some interpreted as contrasting with his later statements.

The rediscovered post prompted discussion online, with users noting the difference between Trump’s earlier holiday greeting and his later public stance on the issue.