AP fact check: Obama didn’t ban Christmas cards to military

SAN FRANCISCO – A widely shared story claiming President Barack Obama ordered a ban on Christmas cards sent to the military is not true.

The story appeared Dec. 12 on the website tdtalliance using banners and logos from Fox News. The network never aired such a story.

Obama never issued such an order, White House spokesman Carl Woog said Friday.

“This story is not true and appears to be yet another example of so-called fake news,” Woog said. “The president wishes service members celebrating around the world a Merry Christmas and thanks them for what they do every day to defend the United States.”

The story claims that the White House said traditional Christmas greetings will upset Muslims in host countries and will have to be returned to the sender. Similar stories of a Christmas card ban also surfaced last year.

The White House’s holiday website includes a link offering Americans the chance to send digital messages of thanks to active-duty military members.

Obama also said during his end-of-year press conference that “few embody those values and ideals like our brave men and women in uniform and their families. So I just want to close by wishing all of them a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.”