First Lady Jill Biden took to social media to debut her White House Christmas featuring a new spin on the classic “The Nutcracker.”
While she was excited to show inclusive holiday cheer, including people of all races and spotlighting Black dancers, some MAGA supporters were quick to play the Grinch and bash her effort, comparing her to the immediate past First Lady, Melania Trump.
Biden posted the 1:20 minute video on her X profile with the caption, “A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite. Enjoy.”
The New York City dance company is dedicated to a mission of antiracism.
The clip opened with a Black woman, Josette Wiggan, dancing in a gold and black stylized tutu, tapping down a candy cane-lined hallway in the White House. At different markers, other dancers dressed in fanciful costumes jump out but never disrupt the Wiggan’s stride.
Once she reaches the end of the corridor, she bumps into another Black woman playing Claire, the main character of the traditional ballet. Claire delightfully brings the viewers and the dancers into the main room with the master Christmas tree. The tree is guarded by nutcrackers that all eventually break out into dance. Each routine takes the viewers on a tour of the White House’s holiday design — usually planned out by FLOTUS and her staff.
While Biden was quite pleased with the production, Trumpers were not — calling it crass and tacky. From their perspectives, Melania Trump’s decorations were a lot classier.
“The difference between the Trump and Biden White House is amazing. Melania Trump brought CLASS back to the White House!!” one X post read. Another person asked, “What does this White House video from Jill Biden have to do with the birth of our Lord and Savior?”
The difference between the Trump and Biden White House is amazing.
Melania Trump brought CLASS back to the White House!!
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) December 14, 2023
What does this White House video from Jill Biden have to do with the birth of our Lord and Savior?
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) December 14, 2023
Almost immediately, people started to clap back, “Nothing. But then again, neither do decorated trees, tinsel, electric string lights, egg nog, wrapped gift exchange, mistletoe, wreaths, candy canes, reindeer, or Jimmy Stewart movies.”
Democrats on the platform were quick to poke fun at how agitated Trump supporters seemed.
MAGA is upset that black people are dancing inside The White House pic.twitter.com/6M0p0KIQYr
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) December 14, 2023
Others just blasted the audacity of the critics, who appeared to be predominantly white, writing, “Black people built that house. They can dance wherever the hell they want.”
One person called the haters on their re-imagined history, reminding them of what the wife of the 45th U.S. president said on a hot mic about her Christmas duties.
In 2020, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend of Mrs. Trump, through the book “Melania & Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship With the First Lady,” shared what Mrs. Trump really thinks about decorating the White House for Christmas.
Wolkoff had recorded Mrs. Trump in 2018 as saying, “I’m working … my a— off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f—k about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?”
“Okay,” the first lady says, “And then I do it, and I say that I’m working on Christmas and planning for Christmas, and they said, ‘Oh, what about the children that they were separated?’ Give me a f—king break. Were they saying anything when Obama did that? I cannot go– I was trying to get the kid reunited with the mom.”
As for Mrs. Biden, in her work to present Christmas at the White House, she enlisted help from a volunteer named “Beth,” a military spouse.
This year, according to the First Lady, the ornaments on the main tree are “created out of the handprints and painted family portraits of military-connected children.” In a video, Beth is seen teaching others how they can recreate the ornaments at home.
This year at the White House, you will find ornaments created out of the handprints and painted family portraits of military-connected children, ensuring that military and veteran families see themselves reflected in the magic of the holidays.
Beth, a military spouse who… pic.twitter.com/95bnLu1ldf
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) December 14, 2023
