It was a spooky night at the White House as President Trump and first lady Melania hosted this year’s Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 30.
This week, Melania unveiled the fall decor chosen for the season, which some called “tacky” while others called “gorgeous.”
The Trumps also handed out chocolate bars to hundreds of children in costumes who lined up for the Halloween celebration.
Highlights
- President Trump and first lady Melania hosted this year’s Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 30.
- The president was seen placing a chocolate bar on one child's head during the celebration.
- Netizens had strong reactions to the decorations, with some calling them “tacky” while others called them “gorgeous.”
- “This is the best they could do?” one commented online “Looks like the neighborhood elementary school”
President Trump and first lady Melania hosted this year’s Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 30
Image credits: Aaron Chown-WPA Pool/Getty Images
“The @whitehouse is getting ready for Halloween,” read a tweet shared by the first lady’s X account on October 28.
The tweet included a photo of the faux leaves hanging from the double-tiered balcony and the dozens of pumpkins lining the stairs of South Portico.
“Halloween 2025,” read an orange sign hovering over the decorations.
Image credits: FirstLadyOffice
As part of the festivities, the South Drive was lined up with children from military families, law enforcement families, foster and adoptive families, and families from the administration on October 30.
The Trumps handed out Hershey bars and Twizzlers in boxes with the presidential seal to the costumed children.
Meanwhile, spooky tunes and instrumental versions of hits like Michael Jackson's Thriller, Imagine Dragons’ Radioactive, and Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire played in the background.
The Trumps handed out Hershey bars and Twizzlers in boxes with the presidential seal to the costumed children
The little ones showed up as princesses, dinosaurs, athletes, and even mini-versions of the president himself.
“It's a long line,” the president was heard telling the gathered reporters at the event. “It's almost as big as the ballroom.”
Image credits: MostDopeVeteran
One of the kids was dressed up as a dirty toilet seat with “Wide Load” written on the back.
There was one family that showed up with their kids on a wagon that was decorated to look like a McDonald’s drive-thru.
Some children came dressed up as the president himself for the Halloween celebration
Image credits: LiveNOW from FOX
The internet lit up with reactions, with one saying the decor “looks very tacky.”
“Great use of my taxes,” one said, while another wrote, “Very un-Halloween. Looks more like Hobby Lobby in October.”
“Is this what you voted for?” asked one critic.
“Just as we imagined it: tasteless glitter!” said another.
“This is the best they could do?” one commented online. “Looks like the neighborhood elementary school”
Image credits: The White House
“The amount of plastic surgery you've gotten over the years still scares my kids. We're good,” quipped another.
Another wrote, “The pumpkin budget at the WH is thriving.”
Others said the decor “looks gorgeous” and praised the first lady for her choices.
Image credits: Alex Wong/Getty Images
“So nice to have tasteful decorations at the Whitehouse. I love Melania's style,” one said, while another wrote, “Trump and Melania look like they were having just as much fun as the kids.”
“You created a perfect, wonderful Halloween theme for the White House and it was nice to see you and your husband handing out candy to all the children,” said another. “Bravo First Lady!”
Some netizens appreciated the decorations and praised the first lady for her choices
Image credits: Congressizazzho
Netizens have also been sharing memes of “Fat JD curly hair” photoshopped into the Halloween pictures.
The memes featured a comic version of US Vice President JD Vance, flaunting long curls and wearing a blue suit.
Memes of “Fat JD curly hair” flooded social media in light of the spooky season
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During the White House’s trick-or-treating event on Thursday, some viewers found the president’s interaction with a costumed child amusing.
The political leader was captured placing a chocolate bar on top of the child’s head, which was reminiscent of him putting a candy bar on top of a child dressed in a Minion costume in 2019.
Image credits: The White House
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“President Trump DOES IT AGAIN! He just recreated the time he placed a candy bar on a kid's head for Halloween 6 years ago,” one commented online. “We are SO BACK!”
Another noteworthy moment from the event saw Melania comforting a frightened child during the celebrations.
Many found it strange that the president placed a chocolate bar on top of a child's head
The first lady was previously heard complaining about having to decorate the White House during festive seasons.
During Trump’s first presidency (2017 to 2021), she was secretly recorded in the summer of 2018 expressing frustration over having to take care of the White House Christmas decorations.
The recordings made headlines in 2020 after they were played on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360.
“I’m working … my a** off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?”
The tape was secretly recorded by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend and senior adviser to Melania.
Stephanie had written about the first lady’s secret admissions in her book Melania and Me.
Netizens had plenty to say about the White House decorations for the season
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