Former US President Joe Biden sent warm holiday wishes to followers on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday (December 25), posting a family Christmas photo with the message: “A peaceful and joyful Christmas Eve filled with love.”
However, the unusual composition of the image quickly captured more attention than the greeting itself.
Biden hidden in the back
In the photo, Biden is mostly obscured, standing in the back with his face partially blocked by former First Lady Jill Biden.
Unlike traditional family portraits where the patriarch occupies a prominent position, Biden is tucked behind the group, with his face only partially visible in a corner.
Hunter Biden and his daughter Maisy occupy the front row, along with Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen, daughter Ashley, and two other grandchildren.
Social media reacts
Observers on X were quick to comment on the unusual arrangement:
"Took me a while to find ya, champ"
“Why are you in the back, blocked by jill”
“Sorry.... but everyone in that picture looks miserable”
“Now we know Jill was calling the shots”
"Hunter is the alpha now"
"I think it’s disrespectful to put the eldest family member in the back of a photo…"
The post sparked lighthearted discussion, with many users noting the contrast between the former President’s understated holiday greeting and the more confrontational social media messages from current President Trump.
Biden’s public life since leaving office
Since leaving the White House in January, Biden, 83, has largely stayed out of the public eye. In May, his office disclosed that he had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
Earlier this month, he made a public appearance at an LGBTQ+ event, urging attendees to resist Trump’s demonization of the community.
Biden, the oldest man to serve as president, stepped back from pursuing a second term after Democrats expressed concerns about his performance in last year’s debates against Trump.
