Trump Warns of Bad Santa in Christmas Call/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump celebrated Christmas Eve by taking NORAD Santa-tracking calls from children. While chatting jovially, he warned of a possible “bad Santa” infiltrating the country and defended coal as “clean and beautiful.” Trump kept the tone light but included political jabs in online posts.
Trump on Santa, Coal, and Kids: Quick Looks
- Trump took Christmas Eve calls from children tracking Santa via NORAD.
- Warned playfully about the threat of a “bad Santa” infiltrating the U.S.
- Defended coal as “clean and beautiful” in response to a child’s joke.
- Made humorous remarks about Santa’s love for cookies.
- Shared the spotlight with Melania Trump, who also took calls.
- Trump’s jovial tone shifted later in a post attacking the political left.
- Recalled past years when Christmas messages included sharp political rhetoric.
- Mentioned global issues like the war in Ukraine amid holiday cheer.
Deep Look: Trump’s Christmas Eve Call Mixes Santa Cheer and Political Undertones
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
Spending the holiday season at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, President Donald Trump continued a lighthearted Christmas tradition on Tuesday by joining First Lady Melania Trump in taking calls from children eager to track Santa Claus’s journey across the globe via the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
In a series of jovial conversations, Trump delighted in asking young callers—ranging in age from 4 to 10—what they hoped to receive under the tree. Yet, the former president also injected a bit of his signature rhetoric into the festivities, warning against the possibility of a “bad Santa” sneaking into the country.
“We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa’s a very good person,” Trump told children from Oklahoma. “We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.” He did not clarify the remark but appeared to be speaking in a light, joking tone.
Despite the holiday spirit, Trump has a long history of turning his Christmas greetings into political platforms. In 2024, his message included the line:
“Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics.” In prior years, he criticized political figures and media outlets even on Christmas Eve.
This year was no exception. Shortly after finishing the calls with children, Trump posted a message online that read: “Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly.”
Nonetheless, his demeanor during the NORAD calls remained festive. Laughing and engaging with the children, Trump said at one point, “I could do this all day long,” though he noted that global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, required his attention.
When an 8-year-old boy from North Carolina asked whether Santa would be upset if there were no cookies waiting for him, Trump responded, “I think he’ll be very disappointed.” Then he added with a smile, “Santa 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.”
Throughout the session, Melania Trump sat beside him, handling several calls herself. At one point, as she spoke to a child and ignored her husband’s quip, Trump commented, “She’s able to focus totally, without listening,” drawing a smile from the First Lady.
One of the most talked-about moments came when an 8-year-old girl from Kansas said she hoped Santa wouldn’t bring her coal. Trump seized the opportunity to defend one of his most controversial energy talking points: “You mean clean, beautiful coal?” he asked, laughing. “I had to do that, I’m sorry.”
The child, unfazed, said she would rather receive a Barbie doll, candy, and clothes. Trump chuckled, responding, “Coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that, at all costs. But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, right?” The girl simply replied, “No.”
The moment echoed Trump’s long-standing political advocacy for the coal industry, which he has championed since his first presidential campaign. It also showed how he weaves political themes even into casual, lighthearted moments.
Overall, the Christmas Eve calls provided a brief look at a more humorous and relaxed Trump, who balanced festive cheer with political undertones, as he eyes a potential return to the White House in the upcoming election cycle.
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