President Donald Trump mixed humor, holiday cheer, and familiar themes during a series of Christmas Eve calls with children on Wednesday, reportedly telling one young caller that he was keeping an eye on Santa Claus to make sure only a “good Santa” was coming into the country.
During the call, a child asked Trump about the popular Santa tracker that follows the jolly figure’s journey around the globe on Christmas Eve. Trump responded with a playful twist that drew on his trademark style.
“Well, we track Santa all over the world,” Trump said. “We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa is a very good person. We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.”
Trump quickly reassured the child that everything checked out. “But we found out that Santa is good,” he continued. “Santa loves you, Santa loves Oklahoma like I do.” The president then added a personal note, telling the child that Oklahoma had been very good to him in the election, which is why he loves the state.
He encouraged the child to stay put. “Don’t ever leave Oklahoma, okay?” Trump said. The child responded, “Okay, I’ll try,” prompting Trump to reply approvingly, “Good. That’s good.”
On another call, Trump was asked when Santa would be arriving. The president answered with confidence, telling the child that Santa would be stopping by later that night.
“Well, Santa is going to stop over tonight,” Trump said. “Leave you a lot of beautiful presents. Like, really beautiful presents.” He then asked what the child wanted most for Christmas.
“Dollhouse,” the child replied.
“Wow, a dollhouse, huh?” Trump said. “I think we can work that out.” He joked that Santa might have some help. “I have a feeling mommy really can work that out, right?” Trump said, before assuring the child that Santa would deliver. “I think Santa’s gonna bring you the most beautiful dollhouse you’ve ever seen, okay?”
The calls also included a moment that echoed one of Trump’s favorite talking points. When a child told the president she did not want Santa to bring her coal for Christmas, Trump jumped in with a lighthearted correction.
“You mean clean, beautiful coal,” Trump said, laughing. “I had to do that, I’m sorry.” He continued jokingly, emphasizing his well-known defense of the coal industry. “No, coal is clean and beautiful, please remember that at all costs.”
He then circled back to the child’s wish list, making sure she wouldn’t be disappointed. “But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, right?” Trump asked.
“No,” the child replied.
The exchanges captured Trump in a relaxed and playful mood, blending traditional holiday goodwill with humor and familiar rhetoric. The president’s Christmas Eve calls, a long-standing White House tradition, offered a glimpse of Trump engaging directly with children, reassuring them about Santa’s visit, and spreading holiday cheer in his own unmistakable way.
From joking about tracking Santa to promising beautiful presents, Trump’s conversations reflected a lighter side of the presidency, even as his comments carried the same themes and personality that have defined his public image.
[READ MORE: CNN Panel Floats Newsom as Early 2028 Favorite, Highlights Democrats’ Unsettled Field]
