"WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?" - Internet criticizes Trump for telling a 8-year-old "We need more high-IQ people" during NORAD's Christmas calls

After a clip of President Donald Trump’s NORAD Christmas calls with children began circulating on social media, netizens began criticizing the comments the President made to a young child. NORAD tracks the position of Santa Claus each Christmas Eve, and while assisting them with children’s calls, the President asked one child what he wanted for Christmas.

According to the clip from CBS News, when the child responded saying he wanted a Kindle, Trump lauded him and claimed he must have a “high IQ,” and added that the country needs “more high-IQ people.” Since the comments spread on the internet, netizens have been slamming the President’s words, claiming that he spoke insensitively. A majority of netizens’ responses to the clip criticized how Trump spoke to the child. One netizen took to X to write,

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM? Someone please take not-so-great-great grandpa to night-night?”

WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?

Someone please take not-so-great-great grandpa to night-night?

— Jmetal (@Jmetal158734) December 25, 2025

While directly censuring the President himself, an X user wrote,

“We need to start with high IQ president.”

One netizen also critiqued the current administration’s policies, and while referring to Trump’s comment about “high-IQ people,” added,

“You have them you won’t pay them.”

Another internet user lambasted the interaction and remarked:

“He has absolutely no idea of how to be a normal human.”

One netizen took the opportunity to criticize Trump’s interaction with children in general and said,

“We let him talk to children?”

Another internet user commented on the conversation and observed:

“someone who doesn’t know how to interact with children because he hardly interacted with his own when they were young”

someone who doesn’t know how to interact with children because he hardly interacted with his own when they were young

— ashley (@sweetlilpoppy) December 25, 2025

While the majority of netizens disapproved of Trump’s comment, which they felt was inconsiderate, a few people seemed to find no fault with the interaction. While claiming that the President was merely sharing a joke, a netizen wrote on X:

“Funny. Best President Ever!!”

President Donald Trump had been assisting NORAD with children’s calls inquiring about Santa Claus’ position

Each year around Christmas, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks the position of Santa Claus. According to the U.S. Department of War website, NORAD tracks each aircraft flying over North America, and during Christmas, it extends its functions to also track Santa Claus’ sleigh from North Pole. The website also notes that NORAD has been performing this Christmas tradition since 1955.

According to BBC, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined in on the tradition when they sat down to take calls from children who were eager to know Santa Claus’ position.

The tradition started when, on Christmas Eve in 1955, a young child unknowingly called what was then the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center to ask about Santa Claus’ position, as per USA Today. The child thought he was phoning Santa’s number because of a newspaper advertisement which incorrectly listed the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center’s number as Santa’s phone number.

As per The Independent, Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, who was the commander on duty, instructed his staff to track Santa and take calls from other children who mistakenly called their line. The news outlet also reported that in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999, Shoup recalled the incident and said that he told the first child who called:

“‘Ho, ho, ho, I am Santa.’ The crew was looking at me like I had lost it.”

This year, USA Today noted that NORAD had about 1,250 volunteers from the U.S. and Canada who took calls from children, with some assistance from President Trump.