On Christmas Eve, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined the festive tradition of answering calls from children during the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa tracking event. The couple, staying at their Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, spoke with several young callers across the United States.
Conversations with Young Callers
During the calls, Trump engaged with children about their holiday expectations. He told a young caller from Oklahoma, "We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa’s a very good person. We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa."
When an 8-year-old from North Carolina inquired whether Santa would be upset if no cookies were left out, Trump responded, "But I think he’ll be very disappointed." He humorously added, "You know, Santa’s — he tends to be a little bit on the cherubic side. You know what cherubic means? A little on the heavy side. I think Santa would like some cookies."
Lighthearted Moments and Coal Discussion
The president displayed a cheerful demeanor throughout the event, contrasting with some past Christmas remarks directed at political opponents. At one point, while waiting for a call connection, he remarked about the first lady's focus during her conversation: "She’s able to focus totally, without listening."
A notable exchange occurred when a young girl from Kansas expressed her wish not to receive coal. Trump playfully responded, "You mean clean, beautiful coal?" referencing his long-standing advocacy for domestic coal production. After the caller confirmed she preferred toys and candy, he added with laughter, "Coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that, at all costs. But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, right?"
The president and first lady handled approximately a dozen calls together, creating several lighthearted moments during the holiday tradition.
