On Christmas Eve, President Donald Trump turned his Mar-a-Lago estate into a virtual Santa hotline, quizzing kids about their wish lists while reminding them that a “bad Santa” would not be welcome.
A Holiday Call Center
Vacationing at Mar-a-Lago, the president and first lady Melania Trump sat side-by-side and answered about a dozen calls from children dialing into the North American Aerospace Defense Command. While speaking to a 4-year-old and a 10-year-old in Oklahoma, Trump said, “We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa’s a very good person,” and added that he wanted to keep a “bad Santa” from infiltrating the country. He did not elaborate on the measures he would take.
Messages to Santa
During the call, the president’s tone remained lighthearted. When an 8-year-old from North Carolina asked if Santa would be mad if no one left cookies out, Trump replied that Santa would “be very disappointed.” He joked that Santa is “a little bit on the cherubic side” and that “you know what cherubic means? A little on the heavy side,” before adding that Santa would probably want some cookies.
In Kansas, an 8-year-old girl answered the question of what she’d like Santa to bring with a shy “Uh, not coal.” Trump responded, “You mean clean, beautiful coal?” and evoked a campaign slogan about reviving domestic coal production. He laughed, added, “I had to do that, I’m sorry,” and encouraged the first lady, who was on a separate call, to turn toward him and grin. He then said, “Coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that, at all costs,” and followed with, “But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, right?” The caller replied that she’d prefer a Barbie doll, clothes and candy.
Political Rhetoric Continues
Trump’s holiday outreach was punctuated by the same political barbs he has used in past Christmas posts. Earlier in 2024 he posted, “Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics.” After the calls, he posted again, “Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly.” He also mentioned that he could “do this all day long” but would likely need to return to more pressing matters such as efforts to quell fighting in Russia’s war with Ukraine.
First Lady’s Role
While the president was on the phone, the first lady was described as “able to focus totally, without listening.” The article notes that the couple took about a dozen calls together, with Melania often engaged in her own conversation while Trump handled the next call.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump used Christmas Eve to host a virtual Santa hotline from Mar-a-Lago.
- He reminded children that a “bad Santa” would not be welcome and joked about clean, beautiful coal.
- His holiday posts included recurring political insults toward the “Radical Left.”
The Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to the story.
