Trump Celebrates Christmas at Mar-a-Lago

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump spent the 2025 Christmas holiday at their Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The President arrived on December 20 after a rally in North Carolina and spent the week engaging in various activities.

On December 22, he announced the creation of a new 'Trump-class' of ships for the US Navy's 'Golden Fleet,' joined by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. He also addressed the recently released Epstein files for the first time. On Christmas Eve, the President and First Lady participated in the NORAD Santa Tracker operation, calling service members and children across the globe.

They hosted a dinner in the Grand Ballroom and ended the evening with a holiday message on Truth Social. This marked Trump's 16th visit to the estate in 2025.

President Trump arrived in Palm Beach, Florida on December 20, 2025, traveling on Air Force One after holding a rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. First Lady Melania Trump did not appear to be traveling with him at that time. The President spent the following days at the nearby Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, located approximately 4.5 miles from Mar-a-Lago.

On December 22, the President made a significant military announcement from his Mar-a-Lago estate. Joined by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump announced the creation of a 'Trump-class' of ships. This new class is intended to be the centerpiece of his 'Golden Fleet' program, designed to rebuild and strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

The administration stated that the 'Trump-class' would eventually include 20 to 25 ships. Secretary Phelan detailed that the first ship to be constructed will be the USS Defiant, an 880-foot-long, heavily armed battleship with a crew of 850. Planned weaponry for the vessel includes the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N), which is currently in development.

During the December 22 press conference at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump addressed the Jeffrey Epstein files for the first time since the Justice Department released images and documents on December 19. The release was part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Trump acknowledged that he appeared in photos released by the Justice Department. He stated that Epstein 'was all over Palm Beach and other places.' Regarding the release of the files, Trump commented, 'What this whole thing is with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has.'

The President returned to golfing at the Trump International Golf Club on December 23. He was seen riding through Palm Beach in 'The Beast,' the armored presidential limousine.

On Christmas Eve, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participated in the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker operation from Mar-a-Lago. This marked the 70th year that NORAD has tracked Santa Claus' sleigh. The couple called US service members stationed around the world to wish them a merry Christmas.

Trump thanked the troops for their 'extraordinary devotion and service to America' and highlighted the $1,776 'warrior dividend' bonus checks sent to military members prior to the holiday. Following the calls to service members, the President and First Lady fielded calls from children inquiring about Santa's movements.

When speaking with an 8-year-old girl in Kansas who expressed hope that Santa would not bring her coal, Trump replied, 'You mean clean, beautiful coal?' He later told the press, 'I had to do that, I'm sorry.'

The evening concluded with a Christmas Eve dinner held in Mar-a-Lago's gilded Grand Ballroom. The President noted that he had moved gold angel statues from the ballroom ceiling to the doorways of the Oval Office to decorate it similarly to his Palm Beach estate. Later that night, Trump posted a holiday message on Truth Social, writing: 'Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly.'