Donald Trump Called Out Over Biden Egg Roll Anger

Former President Donald Trump was called out on social media after conservative politicians and some of his supporters criticized President Joe Biden’s administration for “banning” religious symbols from an Easter event.

An invitation from the American Egg Board asked children from families of the National Guard to submit artwork to appear at an event called “Celebrating National Guard Families” as part of the annual Easter Egg Roll that takes place on Monday at the White House.

The Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 when then-President Rutherford B. Hayes announced that children were allowed to roll Easter eggs at the White House after Congress made such activities illegal on U.S. Capitol grounds in 1876.

The flyer for the event said that selected designs will be painted on real eggs and displayed at the White House. In the conditions, it said that children cannot produce material that “include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.”

In response, conservatives said this was tantamount to banning Christian symbols from Easter, a Christian holiday.

Representative Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican, blamed Biden for the policy and called it “disgraceful” on social media.

“Joe Biden declares that Easter Sunday is transgender visibility day while he bans Christian symbols from the White House Easter egg roll. Disgraceful. Easter will forever be the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection,” the congresswoman wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., wrote on X: “Biden is banning religious symbols from Easter celebrations at the White House, while flying the trans flag and declaring Easter Sunday to be ‘Trans Visibility Day.’ This is the left’s new religion. They want people worshiping the trans flag instead of God. They must be stopped.”

However, others pointed out the policy is long-standing. While Trump did not comment on the event, but shared a Fox News article about it on his social media platform Truth Social, he was called out online as some said the same language had been used in Trump’s administration too.

Writing on X, White House deputy assistant to the president Elizabeth Alexander posted that the language in the invitation was standard.

“*Fyi on all the misleading swirl re White House and Easter: the American Egg Board flyer’s standard non-discrimination language requesting artwork has been used for the last 45 years, across all Dem & Republican Admins—for all WH Easter Egg Rolls —incl previous Administration’s,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama’s former speechwriter Jon Favreau made a similar point.

“Also: looks like MAGA God Donald Trump ‘banned religious-themed egg designs’ from the WH contest too, as has every WH for the last 45 years,'” he wrote on X.

Political commentator Brian Krassenstein wrote, “HOW DARE BIDEN BAN RELIGIOUS-THEMED EGGs ON THIS HAPPY EASTER! Oops, he didn’t. It’s just another MAGA lie. In fact Trump did the SAME EXACT thing.”

Newsweek contacted representatives for Trump by email to comment on this story.

In response on Sunday morning, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates directed Newsweek to a previous X post explaining that the policy has been in place for 45 years.

“Fact check. The only ‘news’ outlet in U.S. history to pay almost $1 billion for lying to their viewers/readers has egg on their faces again. This story is about nonpartisan guidelines that have been in operation for ***45 years***. Including during the last administration,” Bates wrote.

Meanwhile, Biden sparked fury among conservatives on social media on Saturday after he proclaimed Sunday, March 31, which happens to be the day Easter falls on this year, Transgender Day of Visibility.

The International Transgender Day of Visibility was created on March 31, 2009, and has continued to be celebrated every March 31 for more than a decade. The day is meant to not only honor transgender people, but raise awareness of the discrimination they continue to face.

In response to the criticism, Bates told Newsweek via email on Saturday afternoon: “As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American. Sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”