President Donald Trump greeted trick-or-treaters at the White House Halloween event on Thursday night — and once again placed candy on top of a child’s head.
The president, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, distributed candy for about an hour outside the White House, which was decked out in pumpkins, leaves, and other decorations for the event. The president was spotted placing a candy bar on top of a child’s light-up mask, in a moment that mirrored a viral incident from Halloween 2019, when the President placed candy on the head of a child dressed as a Minion.
The moment has already made the rounds on social media. In a post with hundreds of likes and reshares, one user uploaded today’s clip side-by-side with the 2019 viral moment.
“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,” the user wrote. “We are SO BACK!”
Some trick-or-treaters appeared to be dressed as Trump himself, while others opted to be Secret Service agents or the Statue of Liberty. As the President and First Lady handed out candy, Halloween-themed tunes played in the background.
Trump also greeted two young kids who were in a wagon decorated with the McDonald’s drive-thru sign. The president notably operated a McDonald’s fryer last year for a campaign photo-op.
Several kids dressed as pumpkins, ballerinas and dinosaurs. Some trick-or-treaters also brought items for Trump to sign, including a golf ball and copies of Time magazine with covers that featured him.
Top White House officials, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, were also spotted with their families at the event.
Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs are reportedly driving up the prices of Halloween candy and costumes. His tariff hike on Chinese goods has resulted in tighter Halloween inventory and higher prices, The Independent previously reported.
The National Retail Federation also estimates that consumers are expected to spend a record $13.1bn this Halloween, which is up from $11.6bn last year and tops the previous 2023 record of $12.2bn.
When asked about the higher prices earlier this month, White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The Independent, “Real prosperity is good jobs, booming industry, and thriving communities for everyday Americans — not cheap Chinese imports.”
