Trump Draws Laughter With Classic Quip During NORAD Santa Tracker Call

President Donald J. Trump sparked widespread laughter on Christmas Eve after a lighthearted exchange with a child who made it clear he did not want coal for Christmas.

The moment occurred during President Trump’s participation in the 70th annual North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker, a long-standing White House holiday tradition. Footage of the call was shared by the White House’s official Rapid Response 47 account on X.

During the call, the president asked the child a simple question.

“What would you like Santa to bring?” Trump asked.

“Not coal,” the boy responded.

Trump, smiling, couldn’t resist the opportunity to inject humor while reinforcing a message central to his administration’s energy policy.

“You mean clean, beautiful coal,” Trump replied, drawing laughter from those in the room. “I had to do that, I’m sorry.

“Coal is clean and beautiful, please remember that, at all costs. But you don’t want clean beautiful coal, right?”

The exchange quickly became a quintessential Trump moment — blending humor, policy, and plainspoken confidence in a way supporters have come to expect since his return to office.

While the comment was delivered jokingly, the underlying theme aligns directly with President Trump’s broader approach to American energy independence. In April, the president signed an executive order titled, “President Donald J. Trump Reinvigorates America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry,” reaffirming his administration’s commitment to domestic energy production.

The order directed federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, remove regulatory obstacles to mining, and prioritize coal leasing — a sharp departure from the restrictive policies pursued under the previous administration.

Those energy decisions have coincided with strong economic indicators. Gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 4.3 percent between July and September. Consumer spending, which accounts for roughly 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, rose by 3.5 percent during the third quarter.

President Trump’s shift away from aggressive green mandates and toward practical, affordable energy policies has restored confidence among working Americans and businesses alike. Lower energy costs and regulatory certainty have helped stabilize the broader economy as inflation pressures ease.

As Trump heads into 2026, his first year back in office has delivered multiple measurable wins. While not every campaign promise from 2024 has yet been fulfilled, history suggests that economic performance remains the decisive factor in midterm elections.

Republicans appear well positioned, particularly as Democrats continue to struggle with a fragmented message and lack a cohesive alternative to President Trump’s agenda.