Trump Tells Child Coal Is “Clean” Who Said She Doesn’t Want Coal for XMas
During a Christmas Eve call with children across the country coordinated through NORAD, Trump contested a Kansas girl’s preference against receiving coal as a gift. When the child, Amelia, stated she did not want coal, Trump interjected to promote “clean, beautiful coal,” a false claim he has repeated since his first term despite the absence of coal technology that burns without environmental harm.
Trump told Amelia that “coal is clean and beautiful, please remember that at all costs,” despite scientific consensus establishing that coal combustion produces significant greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. The exchange occurred as part of Trump’s broader effort to normalize coal as a viable energy source, contradicting established environmental science and public health data on fossil fuel impacts.
The interaction reflects Trump’s pattern of using high-profile moments to promote discredited environmental claims. His assertion about “clean coal” technology has been central to his energy messaging despite the absence of commercially viable processes that eliminate coal’s documented environmental and health consequences.
During the same call session, Trump also told a Pennsylvania boy that the state was “great” and claimed he won it “three times,” though Trump won Pennsylvania in only two of the three general elections from 2016 to 2024. The inaccuracy reflects Trump’s tendency to distort electoral history when addressing audiences, including children.
The Christmas Eve calls continued Trump’s established practice of using holiday traditions for political messaging. In 2018, Trump famously questioned a seven-year-old about believing in Santa, demonstrating his discomfort with boundaries between political promotion and children’s holiday experiences.