Trump takes NORAD Santa calls from kids. Here's what he said. [View all]

Source: USA Today

Updated Dec. 24, 2025, 7:20 p.m. ET


It's Christmas Eve in Mar-a-Lago, and the first couple talked with children as part of NORAD's Santa calls. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participated in the longstanding holiday tradition for over 20 minutes, seated in gold-trimmed armchairs near a Christmas tree. The president spoke to families on speakerphone while the first lady chatted with children on a handset.

Trump asked children what they wanted from Santa Claus, peppered praise for states that he won in the 2024 election, and touted the most recent GDP report in banter with reporters in the room. "Great numbers, great financials. I don’t think the kids are too interested in that," Trump said.

Among the comments Trump made to children:

When asked by a child from Oklahoma why Santa Claus is being tracked, he said: "We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we are not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa." He also told the child, "Don’t ever leave Oklahoma."

After being told that a child did not want coal as a gift, he responded: "You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that, I'm sorry." He added to "please remember at all costs" that coal is "clean and beautiful."