Melania Trump has announced that the first White House Easter Egg Roll of President Trump’s second term is scheduled for April 21. Last year, President Joe Biden faced criticism for designating “Transgender Day of Visibility” on Easter Sunday, one of Christianity’s most sacred observances.
The first lady will host the event on the South Lawn, and families with children aged 13 and younger can secure free tickets through an online lottery. The free ticket lottery will open on Tuesday and close on March 10. The results will be announced on March 18.
Families must apply via Recreation.Gov by creating an account, choosing a time slot and specifying the number of adults and children attending. Each application must include at least one child and one adult, with a maximum of six tickets and two adults per submission.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
Prospective volunteers can also apply online to assist with the event’s operations.
The festivities will include live entertainment, storytelling, arts and crafts, appearances by costumed characters and the famous Easter Egg Roll and Hunt.
Melania Trump previously hosted the Easter Egg Roll throughout President Trump’s first term.
The egg roll tradition dates back to the late 19th century, when children petitioned for access to the Capitol Grounds — a space that had been restricted by Congress. The inaugural event under President Rutherford B. Hayes established an annual celebration that has evolved over time. Today, the White House Easter Egg Roll continues as a public event that gathers communities for a day of outdoor fun.
The celebration was not held in 2020 or the year after because of public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing lockdowns.
The egg holds significant symbolism during Easter, representing new life and resurrection, as per the Christian belief in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, which marked His triumph over death and sin.
Last year, Biden said in his proclamation, “On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives.”
Biden’s decision to push transgenderism on the holiest day on the Christian calendar was rebuked by Christian leaders and conservative politicians who called it offensive to Christians.
The Biden administration defended the proclamation, arguing that the two observances merely fell on the same date and were not meant to be in conflict.
However, it was noted that Biden’s presidential recognition of Easter was much shorter than his official celebration of the “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
The Trump campaign at the time, through spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, blasted Biden for the “appalling and insulting” decision. “We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Leavitt said, according to The Associated Press.
