The big picture: First lady Melania Trump also took part in the calls from their home in Palm Beach, Florida, which helped kick off the NORAD Santa-tracking tradition that’s now in its 70th year. Less traditional were some of the president’s comments to the children during the calls.
What they’re saying: During one call, a 10-year-old in Oklahoma asked the president about tracking Santa’s movements.
- “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. But we found out that Santa is good, Santa loves you, Santa loves Oklahoma like I do. You know, Oklahoma was very good to me in the election, so I love Oklahoma. Don’t ever leave Oklahoma, OK?”