Donald Trump, the President-elect, delivered a controversial message on Christmas Day, sharply criticizing President Joe Biden for commuting the sentences of 37 death row inmates.
The Guardian reported that Trump used this occasion to voice strong disapproval of Biden's decision, alongside other remarks on various international and domestic issues.
These 37 individuals were formerly on federal death row and had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
This decision reflects Biden's long-standing opposition to the death penalty, aimed at preventing the resumption of federal executions.
The clemency notably excluded individuals convicted of terrorism or hate crimes, such as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. This move has been part of a broader agenda to halt federal executions, a policy strongly advocated by Biden's administration.
Trump harshly criticized the individuals pardoned, labeling them as "the 37 most violent criminals." His social media posts diverged from traditional holiday messages, expressing a blunt disdain for the commuted inmates: "…to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky ‘souls’ but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL!”
Beyond his clemency criticism, Trump's posts also touched on various global issues. He sarcastically noted the military and economic implications of the Chinese presence in Panama, tying it back to historical grievances related to the Panama Canal's construction.
Trump's musings extended to North America, where he proposed the economic and military benefits Canada might gain if it became the 51st state of the U.S.
He humorously suggested that Canadian taxes could be significantly reduced, thereby boosting business growth and military protection.
Adding a layer of satire, Trump mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as "Governor" and joking about drafting hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as the "Governor of Canada."
The political landscape remains sharply divided over Trump's remarks and Biden's clemency decision.
Biden defended his action, stressing his moral opposition to the death penalty: “guided by my conscience … I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”
Trump's Christmas messages have fueled ongoing debates about the appropriateness of such communications from a President-elect, underscoring his continued influence on public and political discourse.
Democrats are predictably mad that Trump dares tell convicted violent offenders to "Go to hell" after their undeserved pardon by President Biden.
Under Trump, such insane decisions won't stand and violent offenders who commit horrible crimes can expect to face the full force of the law.
No doubt, Trump's administration will be pushing for more executions of killers in order to cut the astronomical costs of housing such convicts.
