President Trump and First Lady Melania welcomed trick-or-treaters at the White House on Thursday, October 30. The children, who appeared younger than usual “voters,” were treated with Halloween candies by the first couple.
Accompanied by their parents, a group of kids and teenagers strolled through the White House lawn, interacted with the President and First Lady, and received chocolate bars along with their signatures as souvenirs.
Military families, law enforcement families, foster families, adoptive families, and government officials with children were among those invited to the event.
The children were dressed up in various costumes ranging from dinosaurs and astronauts to princesses. The age range varied from babies carried by their parents to pre-school aged kids who walked up to the President and First Lady. The oldest trick-or-treater was a teenager over ten years old.
President Trump and Melania occasionally paused to chat with a child or their parents, though the media reporters were kept at a distance and couldn’t hear the conversations clearly.
The White House South Lawn and South Portico were adorned with Jack-o’-lanterns and other Halloween-themed decorations, while speakers played a variety of festive Halloween music.
The first couple to commemorate Halloween at the White House was Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie Eisenhower. Mamie decorated the State Dining Room with skulls, Jack-o’-lanterns, and dried corn husks hanging on wall sconces.
This year’s event starkly contrasted with the Halloween event held at the White House in 2020. At that time, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, children had to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
Since the 1960s, celebrating Halloween at the White House has become a tradition. It was initiated by President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie Kennedy, in what was dubbed their “Camelot” White House, reflecting Americans’ perception of the young First Family.
Back then, images of their children donning Halloween costumes wandering into the Oval Office circulated widely, marking the modern Halloween traditions of candies, costumes, and “trick-or-treating” making their way into the White House.
Since then, presidents and First Ladies have invited trick-or-treaters to the White House lawn. Private Halloween parties are also hosted for staff and invited guests at the White House.
This year’s White House Halloween celebration comes on the heels of Trump’s intense Asia trip.
During this visit, he met with several foreign leaders, including Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takichi, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, and engaged in trade negotiations with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.