Trump admin grants Santa and reindeer permit to fly into US for Christmas

The Trump administration said it has granted Santa Claus and his reindeer permits to enter the U.S. for Christmas. 

“They will arrive pulling a wooden sleigh with jingling bells attached, filled with brightly wrapped gifts,” reads a joint statement from the Agriculture Department and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The agencies said the reindeer will be tested to make sure they are “fit for landing on rooftops” and that a reindeer named Rudolph has tested positive for “red nose syndrome,” but it’s not a health concern.

“We want to ensure we are not hindering Mr. Claus’s important work of spreading Christmas Cheer for all to hear,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in the statement.

“Ease of access into the United States for Mr. Claus and his nine reindeer will ensure that children all over the country – including my own fourteen grandchildren – will wake up on Christmas morning with joy and filled with the spirit of the season,” he added.

S. Nicholas Claus was also quoted in the statement, saying he would have his boots disinfected and would try to prevent his reindeer from bringing “foot and mouth disease along with all the gifts.”

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, in keeping with its annual tradition, also tracked Santa Claus’s location on Tuesday.