On the Monday after Easter, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. Townhall was present to catch Trump's remarks, as well as speak to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about what makes this year different.
As Townhall covered for Holy Week last week, beginning with Palm Sunday, the Trump White House released a statement full of a recommitment to faith in light of this particularly important time of year. Leavitt also spoke about activities from the White House faith office during a press briefing last week.
Trump himself spoke passionately about faith as he, the first lady, and the Easter bunny appeared at the Truman balcony overlooking the South Lawn to welcome attendees.
After he had just pointed out how "special" the country that we love is, the president brought his remarks back to Easter. "And speaking of special, Easter is special, and it's one of our favorite days, it's one of our favorite periods of time," he reminded. "We're honoring Jesus Christ, and we're gonna honor Jesus Christ very powerfully throughout our lives," Trump continued, to audible cheers from the audience. "Not just now, all throughout our lives. We're bringing religion back in America, we're bringing a lot of things back, but religion is coming back to America, that's why you see the kind of numbers that you're seeing, the spirit," Trump added towards the end of his remarks.
"Happy Easter and enjoy your lives! We're gonna have a great four years," Trump concluded as he thanked the crowd before going on to speak with members of the press. He also participated in activities such as blowing the whistle for rounds of Easter egg rolls, greeting guests, and coloring with children attending the event.
President Trump: "Easter is special...We're honoring Jesus Christ, and we're gonna honor Jesus Christ very powerfully throughout our lives. Not just now, all throughout our lives." pic.twitter.com/CoQ4D1SWSO
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2025
Plenty have noticed the differences between this year and previous years under now former President Joe Biden. For one, as Trump himself quipped, he wasn't going to be taken out by this Easter bunny. The Easter bunny previously had to step in to noticeably prevent Biden from speaking to the press.
The scenes for 2022 and 2025 were in stark contrast, as Trump took shouted questions, including about the passing of Pope Francis from earlier on Monday and his support for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
🤣President Trump mocks Joe Biden for being handled by the Easter Bunny during his presidency! pic.twitter.com/YJ1EhGt0d4
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2025
Do you remember when Joe Biden was directed by the Easter Bunny to not speak to the press because he was too physically and mentally incompetent to speak to reporters? pic.twitter.com/KXxhu1kqYS
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2025
But, Trump also spoke of the importance of faith beyond Easter. That has already been on display with Trump's first term and now the four months of his second term.
There was no bending over backwards to commemorate woke occasions for Holy Week this year, as was the case with the Transgender Day of Visibility last year. While the date of Easter changes each year, and this one of multiple days celebrating the trans community is on March 31, it still did not go unnoticed, especially by the Trump campaign ahead of the 2024 election, how much of an emphasis the Biden-Harris administration was placing on one of those occasions, which Biden even lied about.
While speaking to Townhall, Leavitt expanded upon how the Trump administration is bringing faith back to America, as well as what conservatives and Christians have to be hopeful about now that the four years of the Biden-Harris administration are behind us. While we heard plenty about what a supposedly devout Catholic Biden was, especially ahead of the 2020 campaign, his administration was ruthless in promoting abortion and LGBTQ+ issues, even flying a Pride flag alongside the American flag for an event in June 2023.
"This year, Easter at the White House was all about what it should be, and that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings to our country and our world," Leavitt offered. In addition to reminding of the president's remarks from the balcony, Leavitt described what had just been "a phenomenal week long celebration here at the White House," which included a dinner with Christian faith leaders from around the country and a video as well as a proclamation. Trump also spent Easter Sunday with his family, the press secretary revealed.
As part of that "beautiful Easter Egg Roll with families and children" that the first lady put on, Leavitt quipped that there was "no sign of transgenderism anywhere, just love and hope and joy and faith and family," she added, "which are the most important values."
Leavitt also reassured Townhall that Americans can look forward to having a president in office with Trump who's going to be "protecting traditional values [of] faith, family, and freedom."
Before he had even greeted the crowds from the balcony, Trump had announced he was ordering flags to fly at half-staff in honor of the late pope. He again reiterated this during his remarks, calling it "an honor." Later that same day, it was announced that the president and first lady will attend the pope's funeral.
MORE FOOTAGE - from @RebeccaRoseGold pic.twitter.com/yMbiukbhox
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2025
🚨JUST IN: President Trump announces that he will travel to Rome with FLOTUS Melania Trump to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/351LaHT4VY
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 21, 2025
This year also brings America that much closer to the 250th anniversary. A preview put out last Friday by the Office of the First Lady, spoke to the presence of the America250 initiative. "This year’s event will offer children and families from across the country the opportunity to experience a day of fun, learning, and memorable moments. As part of the lead up to a nationwide commemoration of the 250th celebration of America’s founding, the America250 initiative—featured on the South Lawn—will bring history to life for kids and families who sign a mini-Declaration of Independence, dress up as Founding Fathers, and enjoy an activity book, 'George the Star: An America250 Story,'" the preview read in part. The initiative is charged by Congress to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Townhall spoke with Rosie Rios, the chairwoman with America 250 about her group's efforts, who stressed the bipartisanship of such an initiative. In fact, they are "the largest bicameral, bipartisan Congressional caucus on the Hill."
Rios promised that there will be events occurring in all 50 states, as well as Washington, DC and the territories leading up to the anniversary. She spoke of the "moments and the movements," with the program lasting beyond 2026 and throughout the country to emphasize "the land of opportunity" and how "the American dream is alive and well," with Rios calling to mind her own memories, and "the feeling" of the bicentennial when she was a girl.
The Trump administration has not merely been supportive for Monday's event, but Rios made clear the Trump administration has been working with them "from day one." As a particularly hopeful Rios also shared, "President Trump and the entire administration are very supportive of our efforts and we're happy to collaborate with them and we're happy to take this all the way to 2026 and beyond."
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