#easter egg roll

President Donald Trump fumed at a reporter from PBS after she asked how attacking Iran’s energy infrastructure — as he has threatened to do — would help civilians.

During a brief gaggle with reporters outside the White House Monday during the annual Easter Egg hunt, PBS White House correspondent Liz Landers confronted the president about his warning that the U.S. will target Iranian power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tuesday.

President Donald Trump confused a group of kids celebrating Easter at the White House by repeating jabs at Joe Biden.

The president, 79, was participating in activities at the annual Easter Egg Roll on Monday, but he couldn’t keep his mind on the holiday spirit and resorted to political attacks while mingling with children.

Trump was sitting at a table with a group of young children and started signing autographs.

“Biden would use the autopen,” he told the kids.

Children holding hands at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, 1898

Photographer: Francis Benjamin Johnston

Alex Samuels at Daily Kos:

President Donald Trump has always embraced a branding opportunity. It makes sense, then, that he would upend decades of tradition and plan to offer corporate sponsorships for the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll.  Gone are the days of shoving former White House press secretary Sean Spicer into an Easter bunny costume for a quick laugh. Now, Trump wants to transform the annual Easter Egg Roll—which is funded through private donations, not taxpayer dollars—into a profit-making scheme where corporations can essentially purchase goodwill with his administration.  According to reports from CNN and The New York Times, which viewed a nine-page guide available for potential sponsors, companies willing to pay between $75,000 and $200,000 can earn perks such as branding rights, having their logos or names featured on event signage, and mentions in social media posts and press releases.  The most expensive package—Platinum—includes “branding for a key area or activation,” 150 tickets to the event (100 general admission, plus 50 VIP), and exclusive tickets to an invitation-only brunch inside the White House with first lady Melania Trump. “Be a part of history,” reads the guide, written by the aptly named event production company, Harbinger, based out of Washington, D.C. The memo directs sponsors to “provide financial support, activities, and giveaways to enhance the event while gaining valuable brand visibility and national recognition.” The White House didn’t immediately respond to Daily Kos’ request for comment. If this proceeds, it would mark the first time a presidential administration has sought sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll in nearly 150 years. This year’s event is scheduled for April 21.  However, there’s a reason past administrations haven’t sought to blur the line between the private sector and the government: doing so raises numerous legal and ethical concerns. For one, federal regulations prohibit government employees from using their public offices for personal gain or “for the endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise.”

[...] Then again, Trump and his family are known for flouting norms and seeking opportunities to earn a quick buck. Recall that earlier this month, Trump held an infomercial on the White House lawn, where he promoted Elon Musk’s Teslas and encouraged Americans to buy his billionaire friend's overpriced and unsafe cars after the automaker’s stock plummeted. Before that, in January, Trump and Melania launched their own meme coin, $Trump, which was branded with his likeness, just before the president’s January inauguration.  According to CNN, which cited a second source familiar with the planning of this year’s Easter Egg Roll, one sponsor has already been identified for the festivities while other “successful conservations” are underway. 

Everything Trump Touches Dies comes to the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of The White House, as corporate sponsorships are being floated.

See Also:

The Guardian: Trump White House will put sponsor’s name on Easter Egg Roll for $200,000

Pete and Chasten Buttigieg with their twins Penelope and Gus at the White House Easter Egg Roll

“Nancy Reagan and Easter Bunnies Wave from The State Floor Balcony During The White House Easter Egg Roll on The South Lawn,” 4/20/1981

Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989. Collection: White House Photographic Collection, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989. 

Submitted anonymously to our Citizen Archivist Takeover.