(West Palm Beach) President Donald Trump celebrated Christmas Eve by asking children on the phone about the gifts they were looking forward to receiving, while promising not to let a “bad Santa” infiltrate the country and even suggesting that a stocking filled with coal might not be so bad.
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Vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the President and First Lady Melania Trump continued the tradition of speaking to young listeners through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which humorously follows Santa’s journey around the world.
“We want to make sure Santa is good. Santa Claus is a very good person, Donald Trump told four and 10-year-old children in Oklahoma. We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating a bad Santa into our country. »
He did not give further details.
Mr. Trump has often marked past Christmases with criticism of his political opponents, most notably in 2024, when he posted: “Merry Christmas to the far-left weirdos!” »
During his first term, on the morning of December 24, 2017, he wrote online to attack a senior FBI official whom he considered biased towards him, as well as the media.
Shortly after finishing his Christmas Eve calls on Wednesday, he returned to that theme, posting: “Merry Christmas to everyone, including the far-left scum who are doing everything they can to destroy our country, but failing miserably.” »
Mr. Trump, however, was in a jovial mood while speaking with the children. He even indicated that he “could do this all day” but would probably have to get back to more pressing matters, such as efforts to quell the fighting in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
When an eight-year-old boy from North Carolina asked Trump if Santa would be upset if no one left him cookies, he said he didn’t think so: “But I think he’ll be very disappointed.” »
“You know, Santa Claus… he has the face of an angel. Do you know what an angel’s face means? A little chubby, Mr. Trump joked. I think Santa would like some cookies. »
The president and first lady Melania Trump sat side by side and took about a dozen calls between them. At one point, while his wife was on the phone and Donald Trump was waiting to be connected to another call, he noticed the lack of attention she was paying him: “She is able to concentrate completely, without listening. »
Asked by an eight-year-old girl from Kansas what she would like Santa to bring her, the response was: “Um, no coal.” »
“You mean clean, quality coal? » Trump replied, repeating a campaign slogan he has long used to promise to revive domestic coal production.
“I had no choice, I’m sorry,” the president added with a laugh, which even made the first lady, who was on the phone aside, smile.
“Coal is clean and beautiful. Never forget that, no matter what, Mr. Trump stressed. But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, do you? »
“No,” the caller replied, adding that she preferred a Barbie doll, clothes and candy.
