US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday hosted a festive Halloween celebration at the White House, welcoming hundreds of guests, including superheroes, dinosaurs and presidential lookalikes. The event was streamed on the White House's YouTube Channel.
As dusk fell, the couple appeared on the South Lawn to an orchestral version of Michael Jackson's Thriller. They greeted families and children at the party organised amid an ongoing US government shutdown. The government shutdown is now in its 30th day.
The Halloween event continued as planned, even though Trump had returned just hours earlier from a six-day trip to Asia. The Trumps did not wear any costumes for the event, but the US President was seen carrying a blue suit and red tie with a red “USA” cap. Melania wore a brown coat over an orange dress.
President Trump and First Lady Melania handed out full-sized Hershey bars and Twizzlers in boxes adorned with the presidential seal to the children lined up along the White House driveway. A video of one such moment was also widely shared on social media, in which Trump can be seen interacting with a child dressed as a marshmallow.
The White House was adorned with vibrant fall decorations. It featured large artificial autumn leaves and bright orange and red chrysanthemums. The staircase leading to the balcony was lined with intricately carved pumpkins.
Notably, Trump's ongoing trade tariffs on China reportedly led to reduced inventory and higher prices for Halloween costumes, affecting American importers, retailers and shoppers during the festive season, according to an Associated Press report.
Hundreds of children attended the Halloween event at the White House, including those of military members and the children of White House staff. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attended the event with her young son dressed as a pumpkin. Former Trump aide Katie Miller embraced the Halloween spirit as a skeleton, while her husband, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, wore a business suit.
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