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Tinsel, tradition and messaging: The politics behind White House holiday decorations
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The White House is reopening its doors to Americans for public tours of the 2025 Christmas decorations designed by first lady Melania Trump for the first time since 2020.
Every year, the first lady — regardless of whether the president is a Republican or Democrat — enjoys the annual tradition of transforming the White House into a winter wonderland, filled with the magic of Christmas and holiday cheer. And each first lady has the opportunity to determine what that magic is, and how it fits with the administration’s messaging.
During the first Trump administration, first lady Trump ensured her decor had a classic, patriotic theme.
The official White House Christmas tree is decorated in the Blue Room, seen through the Cross Hall, during the 2019 Christmas preview at the White House, Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press )
In 2017, the first year of the Trump administration, all eyes were on the first lady. Her theme was «time honored traditions,» which included classic decorations exuding national pride, support for the military and traditional Christmas — a nod at President Donald Trump’s «America First» messaging. Melania Trump was criticized that year for using an all-white theme, with House Beautiful magazine saying she used «a terrifying amount of white.»
Every year, the first lady — regardless of whether the president is a Republican or Democrat — enjoys the annual tradition of transforming the White House into a winter wonderland.
In 2018, Melania Trump’s theme was «American treasures,» which again, highlighted American history with a gingerbread version of the National Mall, a Fraser fir tree decorated with state ribbons in the Blue Room and more. In the East Colonnade, the first lady decorated with bold red trees, and the Green Room featured American folk art.
Melania Trump was criticized for her use of all red Christmas trees.
In 2019, the theme was «The Spirit of America.» (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
In 2019, the theme was «The Spirit of America,» which again focused on states, with state flowers and symbols as ornaments on the trees in the Blue Room; the U.S. military, with a tree honoring Gold Star families; and gingerbread houses designed like American landmarks.
The first lady’s decor also frequently highlighted her «Be Best» campaign, which raises money for foster children.
The first lady’s decor also frequently highlighted her «Be Best» campaign, which raises money for foster children. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
And in 2020, during the final year of the first Trump administration, and during the end of the first year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Melania Trump’s theme was «America the Beautiful,» which featured patriotic decorations consistent with President Trump’s «America First» theme, like Gold eagles, mini model trains in the State Dining Room, and gingerbread houses replicating national parks.
By 2021, then-first lady Jill Biden had the opportunity to put her mark on the Christmas decor, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with her first theme of «Gifts from the Heart.»
The theme sought to emphasize unity and faith, by focusing on «gifts.» One tree featured book-shaped ornaments to celebrate learning; military medallions and volunteer patches as ornaments to celebrate service; and the gift of hope and faith with stars and white doves as ornaments.
First lady Jill Biden waves after she receives the official White House Christmas Tree on the North Portico of the White House Nov. 22, 2021, in Washington. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
In 2022, Biden’s theme was «We the People,» which reinforced the Biden administration’s focus on democracy — with gold doves, olive branches and ornaments shaped like local landmarks from all 50 states.
Christmas decorations are seen in the entrance and cross hall of the White House as part of first lady Jill Biden’s «We the People» decorative theme in 2022. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
In 2023, Biden shifted to the theme «The Magic, Wonder, and Joy of the Holidays,» which featured oversized toy trains, nutcrackers and characters to encourage imagination.
The annual White House Christmas video was filled with «magic, wonder, and joy» according to first lady Jill Biden. (White House)
Biden was criticized for the video shared by the White House featuring the 2023 decorations, which featured dancers tapping around the decorated White House.
In 2024, first lady Biden’s theme was «A Season of Peace and Light,» featuring crystal orbs in the East Colonnade to represent «light in darkness.» The trees were decorated in the Blue Room with paper stars and signs of peace, with trees wrapped in white and gold garlands and more.
The Bidens previously spent Christmases with family in Delaware. (Reuters)
The Christmas decorating tradition began in 1961, when then-first lady Jackie Kennedy began the tradition of selecting a theme for the official White House Christmas tree. Kennedy chose a «Nutcracker» theme, with ornaments made by disabled volunteers and senior citizens throughout the country.
But even before the first lady took over the responsibility of selecting the theme, the White House decorated for Christmas. First families decorated with greens, and Christmas trees.
The Blue Room of the White House is seen decorated for the Christmas season, Nov. 29, 2020. (Hum Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Imagesf)
According to the White House Historical Association, the first known White House Christmas tree was decorated just with candles and was set in the Oval Room on the second floor in 1889.
white house,christmas,melania trump
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Mexican illegal alien allegedly used Roblox currency to solicit explicit content from kids under 10
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FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an arrest detainer request for a Mexican illegal migrant who was charged with soliciting sexual content from children under 10 years old.
Angel David Rubio Marin allegedly used «Robux» in the Roblox video game to entice children to send him sexually explicit videos and images of at least three young children under 10 years old. He was arrested in Prince William County, VA.
Rubio Marin was previously charged with two counts of public masturbation, but was released in Virginia prior to the current charges, according to DHS.
«This sicko preyed on innocent children by offering to pay them in a video game currency in exchange for child pornography,» Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital in a statement. »This illegal alien was RELEASED from jail after an arrest for public masturbation. This case is a perfect example of why we need state and local cooperation with ICE.»
The case highlights criticism of Virginia’s sanctuary-style policies under Governor Abigail Spanberger, who recently ended the 287(g) program and state cooperation with ICE, allowing the illegal migrant suspect to be released back into communities before federal intervention. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Courtesy of ICE)
SANCTUARY POLICIES LET ALLEGED CHILD PREDATOR ROAM FREE UNTIL DHS MADE PORTLAND, OREGON, AIRPORT ARREST
«We are calling on Virginia sanctuary politicians and Governor Spanberger to commit to not releasing this child predator back into Virginia neighborhoods,» Bis added. «No one wants this pedophile loose on American streets.»
Roblox is an online video game where users interact via chat. Robux is an in-game currency where players can purchase accessories and items for their character. The game is popular among young children.
Roblox made clear that the platform’s filters make it impossible for users to share images or videos through in-game chat.
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DHS and ICE issued an arrest detainer for Mexican national Angel David Rubio Marin, who allegedly used Robux in Roblox to solicit sexually explicit images and videos from at least three children under 10, after he was previously released from custody in Virginia following charges of public masturbation. (Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Rubio Martin entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown place and time, according to DHS.
The department was quick to bash Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, who ended cooperation with state agencies and federal immigration authorities through an executive directive in February shortly after her inauguration.
In a statement issued after signing the directive, she argued that requiring state and local officers to take on federal immigration duties diverts them from their primary responsibilities of enforcing Virginia law and investigating crimes.
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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers an address in Richmond. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
According to Spanberger, shifting those duties can damage relationships between police and residents and create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust that ultimately makes it more difficult for officers to effectively do their jobs.
The directive also reverses the 287(g) program adopted under former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. That policy allowed certain local law enforcement officers to carry out limited immigration enforcement responsibilities under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including helping ensure criminal illegal migrants were not released back into communities and identifying illegal migrants already being held in local jails.
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office but has not yet heard back.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
illegal immigrants,abigail spanberger,homeland security,migrant crime,kristi noem,sex crimes
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Polémica en Bolivia por la intención chilena de construir “barreras físicas” en la frontera
La decisión del Gobierno de Chile de militarizar la frontera con Bolivia y ordenar la construcción de “barreras físicas” genera polémica en el lado boliviano y algunos analistas advierten que viola el Tratado de 1904 que fijó los límites definitivos entre ambos países.
Tras asumir el gobierno el 11 de marzo, el presidente José Antonio Kast firmó un decreto con el que da cumplimiento a su promesa electoral de combatir la migración ilegal y reforzar el control de la frontera norte. “Le encomiendo que nos colabore con la construcción de barreras físicas para detener el ingreso de la migración ilegal”, indicó Kast al jefe del Ejército, Pedro Varela, durante el acto en el que firmó la norma.
La decisión no deja de ser controversial. Horas antes, Rodrigo Paz había asistido a la toma de posesión y manifestó en medios chilenos su voluntad para retomar las relaciones diplomáticas con Chile con mensajes como “siempre es mejor el futuro que el pasado”, “en el vecindario hay que tratarnos de buena manera” o “la lógica es que nos llevemos bien para crecer, nuestras naciones se merecen una mejor relación”.
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REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido
Para el periodista y analista político Raúl Peñaranda, la noticia del control fronterizo cayó como “un balde de agua fría” en medio de los anuncios sobre el posible restablecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas con Chile. “Paz y Kast se estaban tomando la mano, se estaban dando ‘piquitos’ y este es un balde de agua fría, una señal inamistosa de Chile y va a generar repercusión”, afirmó.
Fuera del nuevo contexto diplomático, también surgieron observaciones sobre la supuesta falta de coherencia entre el decreto y lo dispuesto en acuerdos bilaterales. El expresidente Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé (2005-2006) apuntó que contrasta con el Tratado de 1904 en el que Chile reconoce a Bolivia el más “amplio y libre” derecho de tránsito por su territorio hacia los puertos del Pacífico. Rodríguez agregó que la medida “no es la mejor señal de buena vecindad”.
Otros actores políticos como el excandidato presidencial Samuel Doria Medina también cuestionaron la determinación de Kast. “Le deseo una buena gestión, pero comienza cometiendo un error”, escribió en su cuenta de X.
Según datos oficiales de Chile, cerca de 180.266 bolivianos viven en ese país, lo que representa menos del 10% de los extranjeros residentes. Si bien no se encontraron cifras sobre las nacionalidades de migrantes indocumentados, el Instituto Nacional de Estadística estima que existen cerca de 337.000 extranjeros en situación irregular.
Bolivia y Chile no tienen relaciones diplomáticas plenas desde la década de 1970 por el reclamo boliviano de un acceso soberano al Pacífico. La disputa entre ambos países gira básicamente en torno al reclamo boliviano de acceso soberano al océano Pacífico, perdido en una guerra con Chile en 1884 que constituye el precedente sobre el cual se estableció el Tratado de 1904.
El distanciamiento entre La Paz y Santiago se profundizó en los últimos años a raíz de la demanda marítima interpuesta por Bolivia ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia en 2013 y el juicio que inició Chile ante el mismo organismo por las aguas del Silala en 2016.
La administración de Rodrigo Paz no se ha manifestado oficialmente sobre esta determinación. Sin embargo, en una entrevista radial con el programa Asuntos Centrales, el canciller Fernando Aramayo manifestó: “Lo respetamos; no vamos a ir por encima de la soberanía de los pueblos; necesitamos conversar estos temas y evitar que esto se lea desde una perspectiva negativa”.
En el Legislativo la decisión encuentra posiciones encontradas. Mientras diputados como el opositor José Sánchez expresaron su preocupación, otros como el oficialista Ricardo Rada respaldaron la determinación del Gobierno de Chile. “Cada presidente tiene el derecho de establecer su política de Estado en los límites de su territorio”, afirmó Rada, consultado por el canal RTP.
Mientras la construcción de un muro en medio de ambos países parece inminente, el presidente Paz y el canciller Aramayo apuestan por minimizar el asunto y destacar el avance de una agenda común que incluiría temas comerciales, energéticos y otros.
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