President Donald Trump said his administration is “bringing religion back in America” as he addressed the annual White House Easter Egg Roll hours after the death of Pope Francis.
Trump, speaking Monday from the White House’s South Portico next to first lady Melania Trump and a costumed Easter bunny, paid respects to the pope in brief remarks.
“He was a good man, worked hard, he loved the world,” Trump said at the start of the 147th iteration of the White House egg roll tradition. Trump said he ordered U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the pope, who died earlier in the day at 88 years old.
Following a presidential tradition dating back to 1878, Trump opened the White House South Lawn on April 21 to thousands of children who rolled more than 30,000 colorfully painted eggs. Trump said about 42,000 guests are expected throughout the day.
“Easter is special, and it’s one of our favorite days. It’s one of our favorite periods of time. We’re honoring Jesus Christ,” Trump said. “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 see.”
Earlier in the day, the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis, one day after he greeted thousands in St. Peter’s Square after Easter Mass in his open-air popemobile and also met with Vice President JD Vance. The pope had been battling bilateral pneumonia and other health issues.
The egg roll began in the morning on April 21, with Trump addressing the crowd while the festivities were underway.
Light rain fell at the White House as thousands of children played games surrounded by colorful floral decorations and white picket fences on the south lawn.
“It was a beautiful day yesterday and it’s a beautiful day,” Trump said during a break in the light sprinkle. “We don’t have to worry about sunburn, but it looks like it’s not going to be raining. It’s going to be something really special.”
Girls wore pink and blue floral dresses. A few boys wore red Make America Great Again caps. Eggs dyed in light blue, pink and yellow and decorated with images of the White House sat on table displays.
Children used wooden spoons to push eggs dyed with pastel colors up grassy lanes. Other activities included hunting for eggs, blowing bubbles, hopscotch and dying eggs beneath white tents. Gates of floral arrangements dominated by pink and yellow roses divided portions of the lawn.
Trump and the first lady each blew whistles to start a few races of children in the Easter egg roll.
“Who’s going to win?” Trump asked before each heat. “Are you ready? One, two, three.”
The president’s own Marine Corps band, dressed in red jackets and white pants, played upbeat tunes outside the South Portico. Master Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Bennear sang the national anthem on the Blue Room balcony next to Trump.
Meta, Amazon, YouTube among egg roll’s new corporate sponsors
After his short address, Trump spoke and shook hands with several staffers wearing white aprons. “I love you, Trump,” one person yelled as the president made his made his way through the crowd. He then sat at a table with a half-dozen children.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., attended the event and took a turn at the egg-roll whistle. Staffers attending with their families included Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump told reporters he wasn’t sure whether he would attend the pope’s upcoming funeral. “I just have to look at the timing,” he said.
In a new controversial twist that has raised ethics concerns, the 2025 egg roll is the first iteration of the tradition to be open to corporate sponsorships. Proceeds from companies that paid for their names to be attached to the event benefit the nonprofit White House Historical Association, the lead organizer of the egg roll.
The country’s largest tech companies make up some of the corporate sponsors, according to a list released by the White House, including Amazon, Meta and YouTube.
The Easter Egg Roll, held on the White House South Lawn, dates back to 1878 under President Rutherford B. Hayes.
Despite above-normal prices for eggs sparked by a bird flu outbreak, the White House Easter egg roll used real eggs donated by the American Egg Board.
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