Trump asks girl if he still believes in Santa: 'At seven, it's marginal, right?'

Child was calling a Santa-tracking hotline when she was patched through to president

Donald Trump has asked a young girl if he still believes in Santa Claus while taking calls from children on Christmas Eve.

The president was taking part in a Santa-tracking programme set up by the North American Defense Command (NORAD), which allows children to call up and find out where Santa and his reindeer are in the world.

One seven-year-old named Collman, whose call was patched through to the president, was told that believing in Santa at his age was "marginal".

Footage of the exchange captured by White House press was shared across social media, revealing Mr Trump's side of the conversation.

"Are you still a believer in Santa?" the president asked.

After a brief pause, Mr Trump continued: "Because at seven it's marginal, right?"

The Republican leader then laughs at the child's response, before signing off the conversation.

"You just enjoy yourself," he said.

Mr Trump was joined by his wife Melania in the State Dining Room of the White House, with the First Lady also taking calls from children.

Donald and Melania Trump as they track Santa's movements with the NORAD Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve at the White House in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

Norad set up the Santa-tracking program in 1955 and it has become a tradition for the president and first lady to take phone calls from children on 24 December.

The government agency remained open despite the US government shutdown, after around 1,500 volunteers participated to keep the hotline running.

Mr Trump spoke briefly about the shutdown to reporters before talking to the children.

"Nothing new on the shutdown," he said. "We need more border security."

The caller was initially identified as a boy