Donald Trump has appeared to suggest Father Christmas is fake news as he questioned his existence during a phone call with a seven-year-old girl. The US president was putting in calls alongside his wife Melania on Christmas Eve from the White House when he made the faux pas. Speaking to a girl called Collman as the cameras rolled, Mr Trump could be heard saying "well that's very good, and you just have a good time". But then he added: "Are you still a believer in Santa? Because at seven it's marginal, right?" Collman's reaction was not captured by the cameras. The comment was widely picked up on Christmas Day by numerous newspapers. Helping children across the country track #Santa is becoming one of my favorite traditions! @Potus and I enjoyed working with @NORADSanta - #ChristmasEvepic.twitter.com/CYNkARbFaI— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 25, 2018 Mr Trump was making calls as part of Santa Tracker, an annual tradition run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command [NORAD]. The tradition is 63 years old and sees children all over the world receive calls as Santa's sleigh is tracked from the North Pole all over the world. Both Mr and Mrs Trump were taking part, making calls in front of a roaring fire and two large Christmas trees surrounded by presents. Mr Trump was spending Christmas at the White House rather than his Mar-a-Lago golf resort in Florida because of the government shutdown. Around 25 per cent of the federal government was shutdown. It was triggered by Congress and Mr Trump failing to agree a package of new spending in time. Mr Trump tweeted "Merry Christmas!" Responding to questions later from reporters, he appeared all too happy to hit out at his political foes. The US president took swipes at James Comey, the former FBI director he fired, and the Russian election meddling investigation, which continues to blight his presidency. He also gave no sign that the shutdown could end, doubling down on his insistence that any deal must include money to build his wall on the US-Mexico border. "The people of this country want border security," Mr Trump said. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump speak on the phone while sharing updates to track Santa's movements from the NORAD Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP The day before, on Christmas Eve, Mr Trump similarly showed little sign of a festive truce with his critics as he fired out tweets filled with familiar attack lines. "I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security, Mr Trump tweeted. "At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy!" He also lashed out at America's central bank, the Federal Reserve, after the stock market whose soaring he once took credit for appeared to be on course for a historic drop. Mr Trump tweeted: "The only problem our economy has is the Fed. They don’t have a feel for the Market, they don’t understand necessary Trade Wars or Strong Dollars or even Democrat Shutdowns over Borders. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who can’t score because he has no touch - he can’t putt!" On Monday, the Dow Jones fell more than 650 points. It is on track for its worst December since 1931 during the Great Depression. The president's flurry of criticism drew unfavourable comparisons from some. Peter Wehner, who served in the three past three Republican administrations, said in The Washington Post: "This is a picture of a lost and damaged soul." "There’s something sad and poignant about a president isolated and alone. He’s like King Lear, raging against the winds.”
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