The White House released an official photo of US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania for Christmas, with the couple appearing in a formal setting. Trump wore a black suit, while the First Lady also chose black attire. They stood together before a Christmas tree decorated with lights and ornaments inside the White House, holding hands. Their expressions were serious, without a smile on the President's face. The White House captioned the photo: "President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wish everyone a Merry Christmas." Melania Trump, a former model, oversaw the White House's annual decoration campaign, which this year carried the theme: "The Home is Where the Heart Is." The decorations included about 120 pounds of gingerbread figurines, along with large amounts of lights and Christmas trees spread throughout the presidential palace. The ornaments also included butterfly shapes used for decorative purposes, symbolically referencing the First Lady's efforts to support federal reforms aimed at helping children in foster care during their transition to adulthood. The reason for the lack of smiles on the President's and his wife's faces in the Christmas photo remains unclear, which has opened the door to a wave of speculation and interpretations on social media. Trump's supporters saw in their expressions a sign of determination and seriousness, while critics found the photo somber and out of sync with the usual festive atmosphere associated with joy and happiness. President Trump is known for his great attention to the messages conveyed by his facial expressions and official photos, including his famous 2023 photo, which he hung on the wall outside the Oval Office, as well as another photo showing him clenching his fist in defiance with a blood-stained face following last year's assassination attempt, an image that currently decorates the main hallway of the White House. In a speech he delivered last week, Trump declared that the United States "has regained its place and respect on the world stage," asserting that the country has begun to recover from the economic crisis that negatively impacted its international image, adding that "the country has returned today stronger than ever before."
