President Trump declared victory Thursday in the so-called War on Christmas, saying that retailers are again proud to attract customers by identifying the Christian holiday.
Trump, speaking at a National Day of Prayer service in the Rose Garden, said his 2016 campaign focus on the issue helped turn the tide against political correctness.
“When I first started campaigning, people were not allowed, or in some cases foolishly ashamed, to be using on stores merry Christmas, happy Christmas. They would say ‘Happy holidays.’ They would have red walls, you would never see Christmas,” Trump said.
“That was four years ago. Take a look at your stores nowadays. It’s all merry Christmas again, merry Christmas again. They are proud of it,” Trump continued. “I always said you’re going to be saying merry Christmas again and that’s what happened.”
Trump told a religiously diverse group of clerics and other invited guests that the word “God” is also making a comeback.
“People are so proud to be using that beautiful word God. And they are using the word God again and they are not hiding from it. And they are not being told to take it down. And they are not saying we cannot honor God. ‘In God We Trust,’ so important,” Trump said.
The thrice-married billionaire, who appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine and said in 2015 he’d never prayed for forgiveness, was introduced by Vice President Mike Pence, who is better known for his social conservatism.
Pence called Trump “a defender of faith” and said, “At a time when religious belief is often marginalized or even ridiculed, in this White House, under this president, we believe in prayer.”
