The White House Easter

The White House held its annual Easter egg roll event on the South Lawn, with President Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcoming thousands of people to the first White House Easter Egg Roll of his second term.

The annual tradition dates back to the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, according to the White House, and save for war and food shortages, has been a main event of Pennsylvania Avenue since 1878. 

“During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. In his final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all of his creations. Through his suffering, we have redemption. Through his death, we are forgiven of our sins,” United States President Donald Trump said.

Instead of candy-filled Easter eggs, nearly 30,000 real eggs adorned the White House South Lawn

The event, in which the White House used eggs donated by American Egg Farmers, also comes as egg prices in the United States reached record highs earlier this year due to an outbreak of avian flu that has forced farmers to kill off millions of egg-laying hens. 

Youtube, Amazon, Meta, were among the corporate sponsors listed for Monday’s event. The company's support comes as billionaire tech executives have faced growing criticism for “cozying up” to the Trump administration, including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai, as well as Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has taken a position  within the White House.

With sponsorships ranging from $75,000 to $200,000, according to a CNN report earlier this month, the White House has said the money raised will go to the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit organization.

Sponsors who give $200,000 will receive a “custom 30 X 30 branded activation, and four tickets to the WHEER brunch with the First Lady and a choice of meet and greet or White House tour. 

            During the event, Pope Francis had passed away. President Trump honored the pope briefly, calling him a “good man”. President Trump ordered flags to be flown half-staff to honor the late pontiff.

            “ This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved nation. America is a nation of believers. We need God. We want God. America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world,”  Trump said.

            This year’s theme looked forward to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, and kids had the chance to sign mini Declarations of Independence and dress up as the Founding Fathers.

            Aside from children whose families have political connections, children were invited through a lottery for guests from all 56 U.S. states and territories.