President Donald Trump's participation in the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Christmas Eve Santa Tracker calls sparked a political backlash after he told children he wanted to prevent a 'bad Santa' from infiltrating the United States; remarks critics characterise as inappropriate political messaging during a light-hearted holiday tradition.
The comments arrived during an annual festive tradition where NORAD tracks Santa Claus's progress around the globe and children may call in to speak with volunteer operators and, on occasion, public figures. Trump made the remarks from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, alongside First Lady Melania Trump.
Context Of NORAD's Santa Tracker Tradition
For seven decades, the NORAD Tracks Santa programme has blended military precision with holiday cheer. What began in 1955 after a newspaper misprint led a child to call the US Continental Air Defense Command instead of Santa Claus has evolved into a binational US–Canadian operation.
Each Christmas Eve, volunteers and military personnel at the NORAD Santa Operations Center in Colorado Springs answer hundreds of thousands of phone calls through the hotline and operate a digital tracker allowing families worldwide to follow Santa's journey.
Trump's role in the 2025 calls was not officially part of NORAD's routine but rather a public engagement aligning with the tradition's festive spirit.
The 'Bad Santa' Remark And Reactions
During one exchange, Trump told a child that 'we want to make sure that Santa is being good ... that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa' — language that quickly drew comparisons to political rhetoric used by the president in non-holiday contexts.
The president's supporters defended Trump's remarks as playful holiday banter, pointing out that the overall tone of the calls was festive and that he's 'too good' at his job.
Trump explaining to children why we track Santa is pure comedy:
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 24, 2025
“We want to make sure that Santa is being good—that Santa is a very good person. We want to make sure that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.”
He’s so good at this. 🤣pic.twitter.com/CgQe8bY40f
Critics particularly focused on the phrasing of 'infiltrating' the country with a 'bad Santa,' arguing that it echoed broader political narratives around border security and immigration prevalent throughout Trump's presidency and 2024 election discourse.
Alongside Festive Remarks
The controversial comments came amid other jovial and politically tinged moments. Trump responded to an 8-year-old's request for 'not coal' by describing coal as 'clean and beautiful,' a phrase he has repeatedly used to promote fossil fuel industries during his presidency.
These interactions display a broader pattern in which Trump blends light-hearted engagement with children and adults alike with elements of his political persona. Such juxtapositions have previously drawn attention; for example, in 2018, a Christmas Eve call went viral after Trump asked a 7-year-old whether he still believed in Santa Claus.
The controversy over the 'bad Santa' line has expanded beyond social media. Commentary in the media pointed to concerns about mixing Christmas traditions with political messaging, reflecting broader polarisation.
In a world where even Santa's journey is viewed through a political lens, few traditions remain untouched by debate.
