 "‘Where’s Joe?’: Why Biden’s Christmas family photo has puzzled netizens")
United States former President Joe Biden joined the world leaders in wishing followers on Christmas Eve. The 83-year-old shared a family photo on social media showing several members standing in front of a decorated Christmas tree.
Sharing the image on X on Wednesday (December 24) evening local time, Biden wrote, “Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas Eve filled with love.” But the photo has garnered attention online for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s take a closer look.
Who’s in Biden’s Christmas family photo?
Joe Biden’s photo shows him and seven members of his family standing in front of a decorated Christmas tree.
Former US First Lady Jill Biden is standing in front of her husband with her head partially obstructing his face. The 46th commander-in-chief stands in the back, hardly visible.
Biden’s son, Hunter, takes the centre stage with his 24-year-old daughter, Maisy. The former president’s daughter, Ashley, Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen and two other grandchildren complete the family photo.
Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas Eve filled with love. pic.twitter.com/OB5GouvxTJ
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 25, 2025
Why Biden’s photo has created buzz
The Biden family photo was widely circulated online, with users mocking the position of Jill, Joe and Hunter in the group.
“Took me a while to find ya, champ,” one user wrote on X, with a close-up screenshot of Biden’s face.
Quick Reads
View AllAnother wrote, “I think it’s disrespectful to put the eldest family member in the back of a photo taken for the former president’s social media.”
“Where’s Joe?” wrote another, referring to a Where’s Waldo? scene.
Another user asked Biden in the comments, “Why are you in the back, blocked by Jill?”
“Nice of the lady to stand in front of your head Joe,” an X user commented.
Other users questioned why Hunter was featured so prominently in the picture.
A user wrote jokingly, “Hunter is the alpha now.”
Other posts shared altered versions of the image, depicting Hunter either shirtless or with a white substance under his nose.
Some took a dig at the former First Lady for obscuring her husband’s face.
“This is a former president of the United States being shoved in the background and half covered up by his wife in his own photo,” one X user said. “It’s [sic] could almost be a joke but I don’t think it is.”
Other users ridiculed the “classy” move to relegate Biden to the background on his own profile.
“Ouch,” an X user commented. “Way to shove the family namesake to the back, cover part of his face, then post it to his social media account.”
Another user posted: “His family buried him in the back of the Christmas photo and then posted it on his own account.”
But not all users criticised the Bidens. Some wished the family a Merry Christmas.
A person wrote, “Wishing you and your family a peaceful and joyful Christmas. Your strength and love inspire us all.”
Another commented, “Wishing you a peaceful Christmas Eve too, Mr President. Let’s hope the spirit of goodwill extends into the new year and helps bridge some of the divides we’ve seen. The image is a nice reminder of simpler times.”
Christmas message: Trump vs Biden
US President Donald Trump, who spent Christmas at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, came for the “Radical Left Scum” in his message on the festival.
He wrote on X, “Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly. We no longer have Open Borders, Men in Women’s Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement. What we do have is a Record Stock Market and 401K’s, Lowest Crime numbers in decades, No Inflation, and yesterday, a 4.3 GDP, two points better than expected."
Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly. We no longer have Open Borders, Men in Women’s Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement. What we do have is a Record Stock…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2025
“Tariffs have given us Trillions of Dollars in Growth and Prosperity, and the strongest National Security we have ever had. We are respected again, perhaps like never before. God Bless America!!!” he added.
Biden’s message could not have been more different. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, the former US president shared a picture of himself and Jill Biden holding their great-grandson.
“With our hearts full of light and love, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Getting to know our great-grandson Willie in his first year has been a blessing and a reminder of the hope we will always have for the future. Our wish for you and for our country is that we continue to seek in one another love, kindness, and compassion,” he posted on X.
With our hearts full of light and love, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Getting to know our great-grandson Willie in his first year has been a blessing and a reminder of the hope we will always have for the future. Our wish for you and for our country is that we continue to… pic.twitter.com/Nv3fXMzdQm
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 25, 2025
What has Biden been up to?
Since Trump returned to the White House in January this year, Biden has mostly stayed out of the public eye. The former US president had dropped out of the 2024 November presidential race after pressure over his health grew following disastrous debate performances.
His then Vice President Kamala Harris took over the mantle but lost the election to Trump.
In May, Biden’s office announced he had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
The former president completed radiation treatment for the aggressive cancer in late October.
He was previously surrounded by his family during Thanksgiving.
Earlier this month, Biden spoke at an LGBTQ+ event, urging people to fight back against Trump’s demonisation of the community.
Speaking at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, he said, “Folks, Donald Trump and his Republicans are trying to derail and distort our fight for equality. They’re trying to turn it into something scary, something sinister.
“There is nothing more American than the notion of equality. Nothing, nothing, nothing.”
With inputs from agencies
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