President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted hundreds of costumed children and their families at the White House’s annual Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 30, 2025, distributing full-sized candy bars as the nation entered its 30th day of a government shutdown that threatens food assistance for millions of Americans.
The first lady filled the White House’s front lawn with an array of pumpkins, a choice some criticized as insensitive given that millions of Americans are going hungry.
The couple emerged on the South Lawn as evening fell to an orchestral version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Trump wore a blue suit, red tie and red “USA” cap while the first lady appeared in a brown coat over an orange dress. Neither opted for Halloween costumes as they handed out Hershey bars and Twizzlers in boxes bearing the presidential seal to a line of children stretching down the driveway.
According to Trump, “It’s a long line. It’s almost as big as the ballroom.” The comment referenced construction of his new White House ballroom, which has led to demolition of the East Wing. Temporary walls obscured the construction view, though a parked bulldozer remained visible beyond the barriers.
The celebration proceeded despite Trump’s return just hours earlier from a six-day Asia trip that took him to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. Children of military members, White House staffers, law enforcement officials and foster and adoptive families attended the annual tradition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt arrived with her young son dressed as a pumpkin. Katie Miller, a former Trump administration aide, wore a skeleton costume while her husband Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy White House chief of staff, appeared in a business suit. Hundreds of children ranging from tiny toddlers to early teens came dressed as Spider-Man, Captain America, ballerinas, princesses and leprechauns.
Two boys wore suits with Trump hats and grins mimicking the president, though they skipped his signature hairdo. A girl with them wore a white coat over a dress resembling the first lady’s style. Several parents sported “USA” caps matching Trump’s. One child’s costume featured sitting on an inflatable toilet stenciled with “Wide Load” on the back, drawing an inaudible comment from the president.
The White House exterior featured dozens of decorations resembling large autumn leaves and fall flowers, including orange and red mums. Carved pumpkins crowded the stairs leading to the balcony, creating a traditional fall atmosphere despite the political tensions surrounding the event.
Some children appeared shy or skittish about interacting with the Trumps during the candy distribution.
The annual celebration typically serves as a lighthearted moment in the presidential calendar, bringing together families from various backgrounds connected to government service and foster care communities. This year’s event carried additional weight given the shutdown’s impact on federal workers and benefit recipients.
Trump’s Halloween event came as the administration faces mounting pressure to resolve the budget impasse. The standoff has left federal services in limbo and raised questions about the timing and optics of hosting a large-scale celebration during a government funding crisis affecting millions of Americans’ access to essential services and benefits.
Melania’s choice to move forward with holiday decorating this year drew attention, partly due to her previous remarks about White House décor.
In 2018, she was secretly recorded expressing frustration over the Christmas preparations, following criticism tied to President Trump’s harsh immigration policies, which included separating families at the border.
She was heard complaining that she was working tirelessly on the holiday decorations, but questioning who really cared about them, adding that she felt obligated to do it anyway.
‘OK, and then I do it and I say that I’m working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, “Oh, what about the children that they were separated?” Give me a ****ing break. Where they were saying anything when Obama did that?’
