North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad)

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. NORAD monitors airspace for potential threats and provides early warning of attacks against North America, whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles. NORAD is newsworthy due to two recent events. First, US fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace over former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Second, NORAD continued its 70-year tradition of tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, with volunteers answering calls from children and providing updates on Santa's location. The tradition was joined by former President Trump who took calls from children. These events highlight NORAD's ongoing role in both national security and public engagement.