President Donald Trump has always embraced a branding opportunity. It makes sense, then, that he would upend decades of tradition and plan to offer corporate sponsorships for the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll.
Gone are the days of shoving former White House press secretary Sean Spicer into an Easter bunny costume for a quick laugh. Now, Trump wants to transform the annual Easter Egg Roll—which is funded through private donations, not taxpayer dollars—into a profit-making scheme where corporations can essentially purchase goodwill with his administration.
According to reports from CNN and The New York Timeswhich viewed a nine-page guide available for potential sponsors, companies willing to pay between $75,000 and $200,000 can earn perks such as branding rights, having their logos or names featured on event signage, and mentions in social media posts and press releases.
The most expensive package—Platinum—includes “branding for a key area or activation,” 150 tickets to the event (100 general admission, plus 50 VIP), and exclusive tickets to an invitation-only brunch inside the White House with first lady Melania Trump.
“Be a part of history,” reads the guide, written by the aptly named event production company, Harbinger, based out of Washington, D.C. The memo directs sponsors to “provide financial support, activities, and giveaways to enhance the event while gaining valuable brand visibility and national recognition.”
The White House didn’t immediately respond to Daily Kos’ request for comment.
If this proceeds, it would mark the first time a presidential administration has sought sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll in nearly 150 years. This year’s event is scheduled for April 21.
However, there’s a reason past administrations haven’t sought to blur the line between the private sector and the government: doing so raises numerous legal and ethical concerns. For one, federal regulations prohibit government employees from using their public offices for personal gain or “for the endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise.”
After reviewing the memo, Richard Painter, who served in the White House Counsel’s Office under former President George W. Bush, told CNN that such a deal shouldn’t have progressed this far.
“That would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day,” he remarked. “We’re not operating this like a football stadium where you get logos all over the place for contributing money.”
Another former official involved with planning this year’s event told the outlet, “This is an enterprise. This is not your grandmother’s Easter Egg Roll where people lined up outside the gate and go and roll an egg and get a little gift bag and walk out.”
Then again, Trump and his family are known for flouting norms and seeking opportunities to earn a quick buck. Recall that earlier this month, Trump held an infomercial on the White House lawn, where he promoted Elon Musk’s Teslas and encouraged Americans to buy his billionaire friend’s overpriced and unsafe cars after the automaker’s stock plummeted.
Before that, in January, Trump and Melania launched their own same corner$Trump, which was branded with his likenessjust before the president’s January inauguration.
According to CNN, which cited a second source familiar with the planning of this year’s Easter Egg Roll, one sponsor has already been identified for the festivities while other “successful conservations” are underway.
The first White House Easter Egg Roll was held in 1878 during former President Rutherford B. Hayes’s administration. Similar to past events, any proceeds from this year will benefit the White House Historical Association.
The event is expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees and has been largely funded through the American Egg Board, which also provides eggs for the occasion. With eggflation what it is, hopefully they can at least get them for a discount.
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