Halloween at the White House
On Thursday, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump handed out chocolates to hundreds of costumed children during a Halloween celebration at the White House. This festive event came right after the president returned from a five-day trip to Asia.
At 79, Trump seemed to be in good spirits, despite the long hours he had spent on Air Force One—41 hours to be exact—flying around Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea.
According to the pilots of Air Force One, the president’s journey totaled a whopping 20,027 miles, ending just two and a half hours before the trick-or-treaters began arriving at the White House.
The U.S. Air Force Strolling String Band entertained the crowd with “Thriller” as the Trumps made their way outside under the decorated south portico, which boasted pumpkin carvings and autumn leaves.
Among those receiving treats were military families, law enforcement families, as well as foster and adoptive families, not to mention Trump administration officials who brought along their kids.
The children’s costumes varied widely, from superheroes and princesses to ghosts and skeletons. The Trumps were particularly charmed by three brothers who dressed as Secret Service agents, the president, and the first lady. Trump even high-fived the trio and asked them to pose for a picture, pointing out one of them to reporters as “Melania.”
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt and chief of staff Stephen Miller were also present. Levitt, along with her husband Nicholas Riccio, brought their one-year-old son dressed as an adorable jack-o-lantern.
Meanwhile, Miller, dressed in a suit and tie, seemed to be in a bit of a playful disagreement with his son, who was sporting a ghost costume, while his wife Katie held a child dressed as a skeleton.
One of the more unusual costumes of the night belonged to a boy dressed as a dirty toilet, complete with a “wide luggage” tag attached to his back. Trump appeared to find this quite entertaining and rewarded him with a chocolate bar.
A particularly clever family transformed their wagon to resemble a McDonald’s drive-thru, adding a unique touch to the festivities.
Halloween celebrations are a long-standing tradition at the White House. Last year, the event took a quirky turn when former President Joe Biden pretended to bite various children in line, including one dressed as a chicken.
Trump, during his presidency, had memorable Halloween moments as well. In 2019, he playfully placed a candy bar on the head of a child in a Minion costume. This year, he seemed to replicate that spirit, giving special attention to a young boy in a flat hat.
