Melania Trump Lights the National Christmas Tree After President Counts Down

First lady Melania Trump claps after lighting the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, on Dec. 4, 2025, near the White House in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo

WASHINGTON—First lady Melania Trump lit the National Christmas Tree on a chilly Thursday night in the nation’s capital.

At the annual tree lighting on the Ellipse, just south of the White House, President Donald Trump told the crowd, “The first lady is going to do the honors.”