In a festive blend of holiday tradition and political commentary, former President Donald Trump used a long-standing Christmas Eve ritual to deliver some characteristically unconventional messages to children across the United States.
A Presidential Pledge on Santa Security
On Thursday 25 December 2025, from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump participated in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) tradition. This annual event sees the command, better known for monitoring airspace, track Santa Claus's global journey for calling children.
When a four-year-old and a ten-year-old from Oklahoma asked why Santa was being tracked, the former president framed it as a matter of national security. "We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we are not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa," Trump told the youngsters.
'Beautiful' Coal and a 'Cherubic' Saint Nick
The calls, around a dozen in total, took several unexpected turns. Speaking to an eight-year-old girl in Kansas who stated she did not want coal for Christmas, Trump interjected with a correction tied to his energy policy. "You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that, I'm sorry," he said, before adding, "Coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that, at all costs." The child, however, held her ground, requesting a Barbie doll, clothes, and sweets instead.
In another exchange with an eight-year-old from North Carolina, the former president offered his thoughts on Santa's physique and cookie consumption. He suggested Santa would be "very disappointed" if no treats were left out, joking, "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."
Politics Interrupts the Festive Cheer
Despite claiming he could take calls "all day long," Trump quickly noted he would have to return to "other things" including matters related to Ukraine, Russia, and China. Throughout the calls, he frequently praised the state of the nation, asserting it was "in great shape" and that the "numbers are great."
His political messaging continued unabated. To a five-year-old boy in Pennsylvania, he declared his love for the state and boasted that Republicans won it in a "landslide" during the last election. He also humorously chided the former First Lady for her focus during a call, remarking, "She's able to focus totally, without listening."
The event concluded with a signature broadside on his Truth Social platform. "Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our country, but are failing badly," he wrote, ensuring the holiday spirit was firmly anchored in the era's divisive political discourse.
