Trump Claps Back at Dingell Over Christmas Day Message

Former President Donald Trump clapped back at Rep. Debbie Dingell for criticizing his "rot in hell" Christmas message, calling the Michigan Democrat a "loser" in post on social media.

"Debbie Dingell of Michigan is a LOSER, who is helping Crooked Joe Biden, and his Merry Band of Thugs, to DESTROY our Country with his INSANE Open Borders Policy, Inflation, High Cost Energy, Green New Scam, HORRIBLE WORLD DIPLOMACY, Afghanistan Catastrophe, All Electric Cars, and so much else," Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.

The former president's comments followed Dingell's appearance on CNN, during which she slammed his Christmas Day message that called for numerous people he said are "looking to destroy" the U.S. to "rot in hell."

Dingell said things are "deteriorating" and "getting worse" when asked if threats against public servants were escalating.

"Quite frankly, I'm going to tell you that I think it was one of the most pathetic Christmas greetings I've heard when a former president of the United States, who wants to return, tells people on Christmas Day that they 'can rot in hell,'" the lawmaker said.

Trump's holiday greeting mentioned special counsel Jack Smith and President Joe Biden by name, as well as unnamed world leaders. Smith is running the Justice Department's probes of Trump's conduct in relation to the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol building.

"Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden's ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith," Trump wrote in the post. "Included also are World Leaders, both good and bad, but none of which are as evil and 'sick' as the THUGS we have inside our Country who, with their Open Borders, INFLATION, Afghanistan Surrender, Green New Scam, High Taxes, No Energy Independence, Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, are looking to destroy our once great USA. MAY THEY ROT IN HELL. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

On Tuesday, Dingell said Trump is "contributing to the divisiveness [and] division" currently gripping the nation and talked about the former president's previous attacks on her and her family.

She told CNN she faced threats and that people gathered outside her home with firearms after Trump's past insults.

"Violence is becoming normalized," Dingell said. "Every last one of us has to stand up. We can disagree civilly; we need to respect every human being with dignity."

In 2019, Trump lashed out at Dingell for voting in favor of his impeachment and suggested her late husband, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., was "looking up" at the world from hell. When he died in February 2019, John Dingell was the longest-serving member in congressional history.

Trump kept the bad blood flowing in his Tuesday post, saying Dingell quickly did an about-face on the former president after her husband's funeral.

"When I gave, as President, her long serving husband, the absolute highest U.S. honors for his funeral, a really big deal, she called me, crying almost uncontrollably, to say that she couldn't believe I was willing to do that for a Democrat," Trump wrote. "She thanked me profusely.

"Two months later, she was back on the trail ranting and raving about 'TRUMP.' She ought to focus on how badly the Auto Workers of Michigan, and the USA as a whole, are being treated by CHINA, to which Crooked Joe Biden has given this once great industry away!"

In a pair of social media posts on X on Wednesday afternoon, Dingell seemingly responded to Trump's remarks.

"We cannot ignore hateful, dangerous rhetoric, as much as we may want to. It is becoming too commonplace and being normalized. The use of 'rot in hell' in a Christmas message — a time for kindness, love, and peace — reminds us we cannot become desensitized," Dingell wrote in a post on X.

"Bullying, hate, division & threats of violence are unacceptable by anyone, at any time, any place, and anywhere," she wrote in another post. "And each of us has a responsibility to ensure we are not normalizing it & letting it define who we are or becoming. Kindness & compassion matter now more than ever."