UPDATE: President Donald Trump delighted children during a Christmas Eve call with NORAD, declaring coal to be “beautiful,” igniting a mix of laughter and surprise. The call took place on December 24, 2025, from Mar-a-Lago, marking Trump’s return to a cherished holiday tradition.
During the call, Trump engaged with a young girl named Amelia from Kansas, asking, “What would you like Santa to bring?” When she replied, “Not coal,” Trump humorously responded, “No, you don’t want coal … You mean, clean beautiful coal. I had to do that, I’m sorry.” His remarks on coal underscored his ongoing push for fossil fuel production, stating, “Coal is clean and beautiful, please remember that—at all costs.”
This year, Trump participated alongside First Lady Melania Trump in NORAD’s annual tradition, which has been ongoing since 1955. As calls were broadcast on C-SPAN, the president interjected light-hearted jokes while also promoting his political achievements, although these sentiments likely went unnoticed by the young callers.
In a notable exchange, Trump boasted about his victories in Pennsylvania, telling a 5-year-old caller, “We won Pennsylvania, actually three times. We won it in a landslide.” He referred to his narrow win in the state during the November 2024 election against then-Vice President Kamala Harris, where he secured 312 votes with 49.8% of the popular vote. This contrasted with his previous losses in the state to Joe Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
In another amusing moment, Trump reassured a child from North Carolina about Santa’s cookie dilemma, saying, “I think he won’t get mad, but he’ll be very disappointed,” and encouraged the child to leave cookies for Santa, humorously adding, “Santa has a serious appetite.”
Trump’s interactions went viral on social media, particularly when he complimented an eight-year-old girl, calling her “so beautiful and cute” and “so smart.” He explained to another child why NORAD tracks Santa, stating, “We want to make sure that Santa is being good—that Santa is a very good person.”
The White House reported that since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, over 605,000 individuals have been deported from the U.S., with an additional 1.9 million reportedly self-deporting. This context adds a layer to Trump’s celebrations, intertwining holiday cheer with serious policy discussions.
As the holiday season continues, Trump’s lighthearted NORAD calls remind the public of the blend of joy and political discourse that marks his presidency. Stay tuned for more developments as we track how these interactions resonate beyond the festive season.
