US President Donald Trump spent Christmas Eve in a jovial mood, engaging with children across the country during the annual tradition of NORAD's Santa-tracking calls. Alongside First Lady Melania Trump at their Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the President took a break from global affairs to partake in the festive ritual, mixing humour with light-hearted reassurance for young callers.
A Festive Tradition from the Sunshine State
Vacationing at his Palm Beach resort, President Trump participated in the long-standing Christmas Eve event on Wednesday. The tradition, run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), allows children to call in and track Santa Claus's mythical journey around the globe, with the US military providing playful updates on his location. Selected calls are patched through to the Commander-in-Chief, offering youngsters a rare chance to speak directly with the President.
Sitting side-by-side, the President and the First Lady took around a dozen calls. Melania Trump quietly advised children to sleep early so Santa could arrive, while the President joked about her intense focus, noting she was "able to focus totally, without listening" even as he spoke.
Jovial Banter: From Cherubic Santa to 'Clean Coal'
Speaking to children aged four to ten from several US states, Trump struck a consistently cheerful tone. He told the children he enjoyed the interactions so much he "could do this all day long," though he acknowledged he would eventually have to return to pressing matters like the Russia-Ukraine war.
The conversations were filled with Trump's characteristic humour. When an eight-year-old girl from North Carolina worried Santa would be angry if no cookies were left, Trump replied, "He won't get mad, but I think he'll be very disappointed." He described Santa as "a little bit on the cherubic side... a little on the heavy side," and suggested, "I think Santa would like some cookies."
In a memorable exchange with an eight-year-old from Kansas who hoped to avoid coal in her stocking, Trump invoked a familiar phrase from his energy policy. "You mean clean, beautiful coal?" he responded, laughing and adding, "I had to do that, I'm sorry." He reiterated, "Coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that, at all costs," before acknowledging the child's preference for a Barbie doll, clothes, and candy.
Trump also humorously expressed vigilance about Santa's character, stating, "We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa." Throughout, he relayed military updates on Santa's location provided by a NORAD general, telling children when to expect his arrival.
From Festive Cheer to Familiar Political Messaging
Despite the lighthearted nature of the calls, President Trump swiftly returned to his political rhetoric shortly after concluding the event. On his Truth Social platform, he posted a Christmas message that read: "Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly."
In the post, he contrasted policies he opposes—like "Open Borders, Men in Women's Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement"—with what he claimed as his administration's achievements. These included 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." This aligns with his history of using seasonal greetings to criticise political opponents, having previously targeted "Radical Left Lunatics" in holiday posts.
However, on Christmas Eve itself, the President seemed to relish the lighter duty. He told reporters at Mar-a-Lago that speaking with children during the Santa-tracking calls served as a welcome respite from weighty global affairs, capping off a festive tradition that blended presidential duty with seasonal cheer.
