Fresh off a whirlwind trip to Asia, where he met with President Xi Jinping of China, President Trump returned to the White House on Thursday to carry out another presidential duty: passing out candy to children for Halloween.
A line of families stretched down the White House driveway to fill up their trick-or-treat bags with jumbo Hershey’s bars and packets of Twizzlers from Mr. Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump.
Neither wore a costume — unless you count a red hat.
The White House was decked out with orange lights and jack-o’-lanterns, and the Trumps walked out to a rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to greet the children.
In line for their sugar fix were the children of administration officials, military and law enforcement families, and foster and adoptive families.
Mr. Trump looked admiringly at the long line of guests. Over his left shoulder was an active construction site, where he had torn down the East Wing to build a 90,000-square foot ballroom.
“It’s a long line,” he said of the crowd. “It’s almost as big as the ballroom.”
American presidents have celebrated Halloween at the White House for decades, beginning in 1958 when Mamie Eisenhower, the first lady, decorated the building for the first time.
In recent decades, some first couples have chosen to wear costumes: Bill and Hillary Clinton dressed as President James Madison and his wife, Dolley Madison, in 1993; Michelle Obama dressed as a leopard in 2009; and Jill Biden wore butterfly wings and a purple wig in 2022.
Luke Broadwater covers the White House for The Times.
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