Text size

US President Joe Biden and his incoming successor Donald Trump released starkly contrasting Christmas messages on Wednesday, with the latter doubling down on recent comments about occupying the Panama Canal, buying Greenland and annexing Canada.

While Biden posted a short, traditional seasonal message about “kindness and compassion,” Trump fired off a quick salvo of three dozen posts throughout the day, with his holiday messages aimed directly at “radical left-wing lunatics” and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “whose…” Citizens’ taxes are far too high.”

“Merry Christmas to the lunatics of the radical left who continually seek to obstruct our court system and our elections,” the president-elect said in a message, using his characteristically erratic style of capitalization.

He spent Christmas Day venting about his own perceived political persecution on his Truth Social website — a contrast to Biden’s holiday wishes “to all Americans.”

The Republican’s comeback election victory in November was due to increasing political polarization and division across the country, which Trump relied on in his contributions.

Trump posted a photo of himself as “Patriot of the Year” and another of himself grinning at former President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Others included articles praising his Cabinet appointments, his desire to buy Greenland and his complaints about fees paid by U.S. ships passing through the Panama Canal.

The president-elect again called Trudeau Canada’s “governor” and said that if the country became “our 51st state,” its taxes would be cut by more than 60% and “its businesses would immediately double in size.”

Trump also doubled down on his threats to demand U.S. control of the Panama Canal, complaining that China has “illegal” influence over the waterway and that Washington is “pouring billions of dollars in ‘repair’ money into it, but doing absolutely nothing about it.” will have said “‘anything.'”

Minutes later, he announced his choice of Florida politician Kevin Marino Cabrera as ambassador to Panama, “a country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond its wildest dreams.”