Christmas Eve call with NORAD puts Santa in the middle of 2024 politics
President Trump’s holiday chat with children took an unexpected turn. During a NORAD Santa call, he told a 10-year-old that he had made sure a bad Santa was not infiltrating the United States. In one line, a warm tradition met the sharp edge of modern politics. It landed right in the heart of a national argument about security, tone, and the role of the military in public life. 🎅
What happened on the line
The NORAD Tracks Santa program is a beloved staple. It began in 1955, and every year, volunteers with the North American Aerospace Defense Command answer calls and track Santa’s route for kids. Presidents sometimes join in. It is usually light and nonpartisan.
This time, the words hit differently. The president’s use of infiltrating echoed his regular security language. It blended the spirit of Christmas with the frame of border and homeland protection. That is not standard fare for a children’s call. It was also not accidental. Words like that are chosen, even in unscripted moments.
Why these words matter around NORAD
NORAD is a joint U.S. and Canadian command. It guards North American airspace. Its holiday project has endured because it stands apart from politics. That separation matters. Military institutions rely on public trust. They need to be seen as serving everyone, not one party.
In that light, invoking an infiltrator, even as a joke, carries policy weight. It nods to border debates, immigration fights, and threats that presidents talk about all year. Some will cheer the firmness. Others will see a line crossed. Both views point to the same truth. The holiday ritual is no longer insulated from the country’s political storm.
NORAD’s mission is apolitical. Its holiday work survives on goodwill, volunteers, and trust shared by families across the spectrum.
The policy stakes behind a holiday moment
This is not just about tone. It raises governance questions. The president is exempt from the Hatch Act, but staff and military public affairs teams are not. NORAD Santa involves uniformed volunteers and official channels. Guardrails exist for a reason, to keep service members far from partisan fire.
It also touches U.S. Canada relations. NORAD is binational. Both sides value the tradition as a friendly symbol. Keeping it free of partisan content protects that shared space.
Expect pressure on the Pentagon to restate guidance for holiday events. Expect questions on Capitol Hill about how official programs handle presidential participation. None of this means cancel the calls. It means draw bright lines, early, so the next December does not become another fight.
Key questions lawmakers and Pentagon leaders could weigh:
- How to keep official holiday events clearly nonpartisan
- What scripts or advisories are provided before calls
- Where staff lines are on political content during military hosted programs
- How binational partners are consulted about tone and messaging
Traditions endure when everyone sees themselves in them. Guardrails are not about silencing, they are about trust.
The partisan angle, clear and immediate
Republicans will likely defend the comment as simple toughness. They will say the president speaks plainly about threats, even at Christmas. Voters who prize security will not mind. Some will appreciate that the language matches his border stance.
Democrats will likely argue the opposite. They will say a children’s moment should not carry talk of infiltration. They will accuse the president of dragging the military and a child centered event into politics. They will warn that this blurs the line between civic unity and campaign theater.
Both parties see the same power of pictures and words. A Christmas Eve scene can reach people who are not reading policy memos. That is why these moments matter. They shape feelings about institutions long after the tree comes down.
The civic impact, and what comes next
Families tune into NORAD Santa for magic, not messaging. Volunteers, many of them in uniform, give their time to make that magic real. They deserve clear rules that keep the focus on kids. If leaders want to make a policy point, there are other stages. Save this one for wonder. 🎄
The White House can help by setting expectations before the calls start. The Pentagon can help by briefing volunteers and laying out limits. Congress can help by asking careful questions, not performative ones. And the rest of us can remember why this matters. Shared civic rituals bind a divided country. We need as many as we can get.
Parents, if kids heard the line and ask about it, bring the chat back to kindness and service. That is the heart of the tradition.
In one sentence, a holiday ritual turned into a political test. It showed how little space remains outside the fight, and how much we still crave it. The policy choices from here are simple. Protect the apolitical zones, support the volunteers, and keep the NORAD Santa calls about joy. The country will be better for it.
