'No Bad Santas': Trump Chimes In as NORAD and Google Track Santa Into US Skies

Families across the globe are glued to their screens today as the world's most famous sleigh crosses into American airspace. This year's festivities have taken a high-profile turn, with Donald Trump joining the holiday tradition to share updates alongside the tech giants.

Whether you are following the mission through NORAD's radar or Google's colourful maps, the magic of 2025's journey is officially in full swing.

As Christmas Eve lands, the countdown for Father Christmas to reach your front door has officially begun. President Donald Trump took his turn at the monitors on Wednesday, personally fielding enquiries regarding the precise location of St Nick.

During these festive exchanges with children nationwide, the 79-year-old and First Lady Melania Trump encountered a particularly inquisitive caller who asked about the purpose of NORAD's holiday surveillance.

A Festive Twist on Border Security

'We need to track Santa. Santa is good. We need to make sure he's not infiltrating our country. We need to make sure he's not a bad Santa,' Trump remarked, playfully weaving his immigration rhetoric into the holiday spirit. The President continued his lighthearted assessment by adding, 'I love Oklahoma. Don't ever leave Oklahoma.'

Both NORAD's high-tech surveillance and Google's colourful digital platforms are now live, following every mile of Father Christmas's trek across the globe. These interactive tools allow families to watch in real time as the sleigh glides from one time zone to the next, ensuring no one misses the moment St. Nick enters their airspace.

What began as a simple typo in a 1955 newspaper advert—which accidentally diverted calls meant for Father Christmas to a military operations desk—has blossomed into a legendary holiday staple. This long-standing mission has evolved into a modern spectacle, boasting a live website and mobile software, along with festive soundtracks and a dedicated team of call-centre workers who provide real-time news to youngsters eager for a glimpse of the sleigh.

Taking a more playful approach, Google's holiday platform combines real-time navigation with a suite of puzzles, cartoons, and festive lessons that capture the magic of the season. It transforms the annual journey into an immersive digital world, providing children with various ways to explore global traditions while they wait for their local arrival.

According to the most recent data, St Nick is currently making his way towards Spain following a quick stop in France. American families can anticipate his arrival in the United States between 9 pm and midnight local time. However, NORAD officials note that the precise schedule remains fluid depending on the sleigh's speed and its chosen path across the globe.

Tracking the Journey with Google

Google's holiday radar goes live today, Christmas Eve, offering families a front-row seat to the magic. Once the dashboard is active, you can follow these simple steps to monitor St Nick's global flight:

• Open santatracker.google.com on any smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
• As soon as the sleigh departs, the live map will display:
• His current coordinates.
• The upcoming destination on his route.
• Expected arrival schedules.
• A running tally of gifts delivered.
• Whimsical 3D visuals of the reindeer in flight.

To keep the excitement building while waiting for the sleigh to reach your town, Google also provides a variety of interactive games, coding challenges, trivia, and festive videos designed for all ages.

Navigating the Skies with NORAD

Monitoring the sleigh's progress via NORAD's military-grade radar is straightforward and exciting. To join the mission, follow these steps:

• Head to noradsanta.org to access the official command centre.
• Launch the tracker: Much like its Google counterpart, the dashboard goes live on Christmas Eve. Once activated, the interface provides:
• A cinematic 3D globe view of the sleigh's flight.
• Direct satellite tracking data.
• Exclusive 'SantaCam' footage from across the world.
• A comprehensive, moment-by-moment log of the delivery route.

Use the hotline: For a more personal touch, you can dial 877-446-6723. This connects you with a dedicated volunteer at the operations centre who can give you a live update on exactly where St Nick is located at that very second.

The Great Debate: Google vs NORAD

The legacy of NORAD's festive surveillance dates back to 1955, sparked by a serendipitous error. What began as a misdirected phone call from a child to the Continental Air Defence Command blossomed into a global tradition as military officers decided to play along with the young callers. According to Pentagon Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell, this yearly event has become a heartwarming highlight for families, offering a rare glimpse into the lighter side of NORAD's seventy-year defence mission.

Google entered the festive arena in 2004, launching its own version of the tracker as a strong alternative to the military original. While the search giant initially relied on NORAD's established tracking data, the platform has since branched out to become a high-tech holiday destination in its own right. By weaving together Google's advanced mapping software with a collection of whimsical animations and educational puzzles, the service provides an interactive way for families to stay entertained throughout December.