President Donald Trump hasn’t had an easy first few weeks, but you’d think that the White House Easter Egg Roll, a Presidential tradition dating back decades, would be an easy task. After all, it’s the same year after year, and a blueprint is readily available for the White House social secretary to follow.
Nothing, though, for the Trump White House is ever easy.
Even ordering the eggs, something Trump was reportedly very excited about, turned out to be a hassle. By mid-February, the deadline was fast approaching for egg-commissioning and the traditional White House egg manufacturer was forced to reach out on social media to get the White House’s attention.
The First Lady’s office took notice, and Trump’s eggs are ready to hand out to thousands of lucky children who will flood the White House lawn for the annual event. And, of course, Donald Trump’s eggs will have a bit of flair – unlike in years past, this year’s eggs will be painted in Mar-a-Lago gold.
“Goose that laid the Golden Egg” jokes have been pre-emptively banned, probably.
There will be fewer of them this year, too. The White House is scaling back the Roll, offering only around 20,000 tickets to lottery winners, and handing out only around 40,000 eggs – both numbers half of what they’d be normally.
The New York Times, which reported Tuesday on the lackluster Roll, says that some of the normal invitees – DC public school students and military families – have yet to be contacted, but at least one military veteran family, who spoke to Heat Street, said they were offered a chance to be part of the lottery for tickets just as in years past. This year, they were selected and plan to attend.
Yoga centers, who participated in President Obama’s Egg Roll (which featured a “yoga garden” as part of the planned activities), weren’t contacted, however, according to the NYT. Somehow, though, with the Trump White House, that doesn’t seem surprising. They probably shouldn’t hold their breath.
They shouldn’t anyway, because its yoga, but whatever.
Part of the problem, it seems, is that the East Wing and the White House office of social events, including the Visitor’s Office, hasn’t been fully staffed – a common complaint across the Trump Administration and in dozens of Federal agencies. Trump has more than 500 major offices awaiting nominees, and thousands of job openings still vacant.
The First Lady’s office has a head of social events and a personal secretary, but no support staff. The First Lady herself, is coordinating most things from Trump Tower in NYC.
Early social mistakes aren’t unusual, however. Reports at the time said that Bill Clinton’s first Easter Egg Roll as President was slow to get off the ground because, rumor had it, Hillary Clinton had no interest in the traditional trappings of the First Lady’s office.
The Obamas suffered a major embarrassment when, at their first state dinner, two reality show stars crashed the event, making it easily through two security checkpoints and even getting their pictures taken on the red carpet.
There’s at least one position, though, that the White House should have no trouble filling for the Roll: the Easter Bunny. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is a seasoned veteran of the bunny suit and, according to sources close to the White House, he may be keen to reprise his role.
