UPDATE: President Donald Trump made headlines during his Christmas Eve calls with children, jokingly declaring coal to be “beautiful” while participating in the NORAD tradition of tracking Santa Claus. This unexpected comment came as he spoke to Amelia, a child from Kansas, who quickly responded with, “Not coal!”
In a lighthearted exchange, Trump asked, “What would you like Santa to bring?” to which Amelia’s reply of “not coal” prompted him to insist, “No, you don’t want coal… You mean, clean beautiful coal.” He emphasized, “Coal is clean and beautiful, please remember that—at all cost,” adding humor to the festive occasion.
Every year since 1955, NORAD has received calls from children excited to track Santa’s global journey. This year, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined the tradition, broadcasting their calls live on C-SPAN.
Trump took the opportunity to highlight his political achievements while chatting with children. After a call from a 5-year-old in Pennsylvania, Trump proclaimed, “Pennsylvania is great, we won Pennsylvania, actually three times.” He noted his narrow victory in the November 2024 election, where he secured 312 electoral votes against Kamala Harris’ 226 votes.
In another memorable moment, he reassured a child from North Carolina worried about Santa’s cookie dilemma, stating, “I think he won’t get mad, but he’ll be very disappointed.” Trump’s charm shone through as he encouraged the child to leave cookies for Santa, humorously adding, “I think Santa has a serious appetite.”
The calls have gained traction on social media, particularly after Trump complimented an eight-year-old girl, calling her “so beautiful and cute” while praising her intelligence.
When a child inquired why NORAD tracks Santa, Trump responded, “We want to make sure that Santa is being good—that Santa is a very good person.” This playful yet poignant exchange nods to his administration’s ongoing focus on border control, with the White House reporting over 605,000 deportations since his inauguration in January 2025. Additionally, around 1.9 million individuals are said to have self-deported.
This annual NORAD tradition continues to engage families across the nation, blending holiday spirit with the political landscape. As Trump highlighted the importance of energy production and fossil fuels, he balanced humor with significant messages that resonate with many Americans today.
Stay tuned for more updates as we analyze the impact of Trump’s remarks and the ongoing reactions from the public.
