US troops deployed abroad get greetings from Trump for Christmas

Miami, Dec 25 : President Donald Trump on Sunday emphasized the results achieved by the US in their fight against terrorism and congratulated US troops stationed abroad for their efforts and service in a Christmas videoconference.

"Every American heart is thankful to you and we are asking God to watch over you and to watch over your families," Trump said, wishing the troops a Merry Christmas and adding that military families are "always underappreciated ... (and) the greatest people on earth."

During the videoconference, Trump spoke to military personnel from all five branches of the Armed Forces and praised them for doing an "incredible" job, according to pool reporters on hand for the event, Efe reported.

Trump spoke with Marines and Army troops deployed in Kuwait, Air Force personnel in Qatar, sailors with the 5th Fleet in the Middle East, Coast Guardsmen in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The president also claimed, without citing any specific evidence, that since he moved into the White House people in the US are freer to wish one another "Merry Christmas," with its Christian overtones, as opposed to saying the rather non-denominational "Happy Holidays."

Trump arrived with his wife Melania and their son Barron at the Palm Beach International Airport on Friday, from where he was whisked to his exclusive country club and resort Mar-a-Lago on the South Florida coast. The president is scheduled to spend the Christmas and yearend holidays there, and as one of his first leisure activities he played golf with several PGA champs on Saturday.