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NORAD Santa Calls
On Christmas Eve at his Mar-a-Lago estate, President Trump and First Lady Melania took part in NORAD's annual Santa-tracking phone calls with children, a lighthearted long-standing holiday tradition.
“joking about Santa being “cherubic,” reassuring a girl that Santa wouldn’t be mad if she skipped cookies, and telling a boy in Tulsa that Santa “loves Oklahoma,” which Trump praised for its support.”
Trump spoke on speakerphone in several exchanges, joking that Santa was cherubic and reassuring children that Santa loves them.
He also quipped that officials must ensure they were not allowing into the country a bad Santa, a line he used when talking to youngsters in Oklahoma and elsewhere.
Melania participated as well, listening separately in at least some calls.
Reporters noted the scene was festive even as cameras and staff observed the exchanges.
Trump holiday phone exchanges
During one exchange, Trump echoed a longtime campaign line, teasing about "clean, beautiful coal" when a child said she didn't want coal.
He also praised a 10-year-old for wanting a Kindle and called her a "high I.Q. person."
Some accounts say he backtracked and apologized for certain comments during the calls.
The calls were followed by a sharply worded social-media Christmas message on his Truth platform criticizing the "Radical Left," which several outlets connected to his broader political messaging.
Responses to holiday calls
Reactions to the calls were reported as sharply divided along partisan lines.
“Reactions split largely along partisan lines: MAGA supporters enjoyed the banter, while many left-leaning social users criticized Trump”
Some outlets noted MAGA supporters enjoyed the banter, while many left-leaning social users and opponents criticized Trump for turning a children's tradition into a self-promotional or political moment.
Several pieces recalled his past habit of using holiday communications to attack political foes, pointing to previous posts aimed at the 'Radical Left' and other targets.
Differences in media coverage
Across outlets, coverage varied in which details were highlighted and which context was supplied.
Some pieces focused on the immediate, light-hearted scene of children calling Santa via NORAD.
Others used the moment to underscore Trump's energy-policy positions, revisit past attacks on opponents, or recount specific social-media posts that followed.
One listed source (OANN) was not available in the provided material, so its perspective could not be assessed, and that absence creates a gap for complete cross-source comparison.