Trump honors troops, tracks Santa on Christmas Eve
President Donald Trump spent Christmas Eve in Palm Beach County speaking to troops and taking phone calls from children.
Speaking via video and telephone from his Mar-aLago home Sunday, the president complimented military members before talking with children about their Christmas wish lists and helping them track Santa’s location with the NORAD Tracks Santa program.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command launched the program 62 years ago and has since taken calls from thousands of children curious about where Santa was on Christmas Eve. Last year, the hotline drew 154,200 calls.
The president and first lady Melania Trump each talked to children on separate phones in the living room of their Mar-a-Lago home.
“Santa is going to treat you very well,” the president told one caller from Mississippi.
Palm Beach police made frequent patrols up and down the island of Palm Beach throughout the day, between Trump’s home and a historic church where he was expected to attend services later that night.
Earlier in the day, Trump kicked off his first Christmas Eve in office with a video call to active miliary members overseas. He complimented members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard stationed in Qatar, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
He also commended the Coast Guard for their rescue operations in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico during this year’s hurricane season.
“You’ve done such an incredible job in Texas and Florida and Puerto Rico,” Trump said. “Many Republicans are very happy but, I have to tell you, the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and lots of other states are even more happy. What a job you’ve done ... saved thousands and thousands of lives.”
Sunday was Trump’s second full day of his Christmas holiday in the Winter White House after he arrived Friday evening.
On Saturday, Trump golfed with professional golfers Daniel Berger, Jim Herman and Justin Thomas before going on a Twitter rant against FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and former director James Comey.
The Christmas visit is Trump’s 10th visit to Mar-aLago since he took office in January. He is expected to return to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 1, according to guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration.