Trump and Vance Target Democrats in Thanksgiving Remarks

President-elect Donald Trump continued his tradition of using national holidays to attack political rivals, taking aim at Democrats this Thanksgiving. Following Trump’s lead, Vice President-elect JD Vance joined in, sharing a controversial social media post that quickly drew widespread criticism.

On Thursday, Trump posted a combative Thanksgiving message on Truth Social, accusing Democrats of attempting to “destroy” the country while celebrating what he called his “landslide victory” in the 2024 election.

“Happy Thanksgiving to all, including to the Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country, but who have miserably failed, and will always fail,” Trump wrote. “Don’t worry, our Country will soon be respected, productive, fair, and strong, and you will be, more than ever before, proud to be an American!”

JD Vance, Trump’s running mate and the Vice President-elect, added to the spectacle with a peculiar post on X. The image, a parody of Norman Rockwell’s iconic painting “Freedom From Want,” depicted Trump and Vance serving an electoral map of the 2024 election. Trump’s head was edited onto the body of the patriarch, while Vance’s was placed on the housewife. The post quickly became fodder for ridicule on social media, with many mocking its surreal tone.

Trump has repeatedly described his 2024 election victory as an “unprecedented and powerful mandate,” emphasizing his popular vote win—unlike in 2016 and 2020. However, as noted by The New York Times, his margin of victory was among the smallest since the 19th century.

Despite the narrow win, Trump has used his perceived “mandate” to justify controversial Cabinet appointments, testing the loyalty of Senate Republicans. His combative holiday message underscores his intention to wield his victory as a political weapon while pushing forward with his agenda.

As Trump prepares to return to the White House, his rhetoric and actions continue to polarize, setting the stage for another contentious term in office.