Trump Hosts White House Halloween During 30-Day Shutdown

On Oct. 30, 2025, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted a White House Halloween event on the South Lawn, greeting hundreds of costumed children and families amid carved pumpkins, fall foliage and an orchestral rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The couple handed out full‑size Hershey bars and Twizzlers in presidential‑seal boxes, with Trump reviving his 2019 candy‑on‑the‑head gag, posing for photos and signing TIME covers presented by a child, including one depicting last year’s assassination attempt and his 2024 Person of the Year cover; the event was livestreamed. The celebration came hours after the president returned from a multi‑country trip to Asia and unfolded during a 30‑day federal government shutdown that has left more than a million federal workers unpaid and threatened SNAP benefits for low‑income households. Temporary screens at the event concealed demolition and construction tied to a reportedly $300 million new White House ballroom. Administration aides including press secretary Karoline Leavitt and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller attended with their children, and photos and videos drew mixed online reactions even as attendees praised the family‑focused decor and programming.