President Donald Trump brought humor, personality, and unmistakable political flair to a beloved Christmas Eve White House tradition, delighting families across the country during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa call-in event. Joined by First Lady Melania Trump, the president took calls from children eager for updates on Santa Claus’s whereabouts—and, true to form, Trump delivered several unforgettable moments that quickly went viral.
The Christmas Eve call tradition is closely tied to the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s iconic “Tracks Santa” program, a holiday staple that dates back nearly seven decades. The unusual tradition began in 1955 after a Sears Roebuck & Co. newspaper advertisement accidentally listed the phone number for the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) instead of Santa’s hotline. Rather than disappointing young callers, the on-duty officer at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, chose to play along.
Shoup instructed his staff to provide children with updates on Santa’s location, transforming a printing error into an instant Christmas classic. When NORAD was formally established in 1958, the agency adopted and expanded the tradition. Today, the NORAD Tracks Santa program features a website, a mobile app, and a dedicated hotline—1-877-HI-NORAD—staffed by volunteers and public officials who field millions of inquiries every December 24.
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