logo
YouTube, Amazon and Meta sign up to sponsor White House Easter Egg Roll

YouTube, Amazon and Meta sign up to sponsor White House Easter Egg Roll

Yahoo18-04-2025

The White House has set up high-dollar partnerships with YouTube, Meta and Amazon, among others, for Monday's Easter Egg Roll, underscoring the close relationships the leaders of those tech companies have sought to cultivate with the Trump administration.
The White House, through an outside production company called Harbinger, solicited corporate sponsors for the traditional springtime event ranging from $75,000 to $200,000, with the promise of logo and branding opportunities, according to a nine-page document sent to potential sponsors and first reported by CNN last month.
Several major American tech companies and associations have signed up, according to an official White House press release on the event sent by the office of the first lady Friday.
The Egg Roll has been privately funded without taxpayer dollars for many years. All money raised by Harbinger will go to the White House Historical Association.
Friday's release highlights an 'array of entertaining activities thanks to the White House Historical Association and its partnerships.'
That includes, according to the White House, a 'Reading Nook, courtesy of Amazon'; the 'Bunny Hop Stage, courtesy of YouTube'; an 'AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity, courtesy of Meta'; and a 'Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity, courtesy of the New York Stock Exchange.'
Those sponsorships come as those Silicon Valley leaders, who donated to Trump's inaugural fund, have lost billions in value as markets – from the NYSE to others across the globe – have experienced volatility as a result of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
CNN has reached out to the tech companies.
The American Egg Board, which has long supported the event, is again supplying the 30,000 hard-boiled eggs, as well as a 'Garden Café for Tasty Treats.'
Other sponsors include The Toy Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, and the National Confectioners Association.
Signature Brands, LLC, which owns the Betty Crocker brand, will provide a cookie decorating station, and GALA is hosting a digital egg hunt game.
The solicitation for sponsorships marks an unprecedented offering of corporate branding opportunities on White House grounds, running counter to long-established regulations prohibiting the use of public office for private gain.
Prospective sponsors were offered opportunities for 'naming right for key areas or elements,' 'logos featured on event signage,' 'custom-branded baskets, snacks/beverages, or souvenirs,' and 'mentions in official event communications and social media posts.'
Upon viewing the Harbinger pitch document last month, Richard Painter, who served in the White House Counsel's Office under President George W. Bush, told CNN that it 'wouldn't have gotten through Counsel's Office.'
'That would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day,' he said. 'We're not running this like a football stadium where you get all logos all over the place for kicking in money.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump
Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump

The Hill

time4 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday tore into California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for suggesting the unrest in Los Angeles is a consequence of federal involvement in state and local law enforcement efforts. 'Gavin Newsom says he didn't have a problem until Trump got involved,' Vance wrote in a post on X, attaching two photos that he said were taken before Trump ordered the National Guard to protect border patrol agents in California. One depicted rioters appearing to attack a 'border patrol' van, and another depicted a car set ablaze. The Hill was not able to verify the authenticity of the photos. 'Does this look like 'no problem'?' Vance asked. Vance suggested Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass 'fomented and encouraged the riots,' with the goal of promoting mass migration into the U.S., adding, 'It is their reason for being.' 'If you want to know why illegal aliens flocked to your state, stop accusing Donald Trump. Look in the mirror,' Vance said. 'If you want to know why border patrol fear for their lives over enforcing the law, look in the mirror.' Vance pointed to California's Medicaid expansion last year to low-income undocumented immigrants as an example of a policy that has 'encouraged mass migration into California.' Newsom has since proposed ending new Medicaid enrollment for undocumented adults, but his proposal faces resistance from the state legislature. 'Your policies that protected those migrants from common sense law enforcement. Your policies that offered massive welfare benefits to reward illegal immigrants. Your policies that allowed those illegal migrants (and their sympathizers) to assault our law enforcement. Your policies that allowed Los Angeles to turn into a war zone,' Vance continued. 'You sure as hell had a problem before President Trump came along. The problem is YOU,' Vance added. Vance's post is the latest in a back-and-forth between the administration and Newsom, who has resisted Trump's extraordinary steps to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops to the area and mobilize 700 active-duty marines. Newsom has insisted that the situation was under control before the Trump administration escalated tensions by making a provocative show of force. He accused Trump of 'intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities and endangering the principles of our great democracy.' After Trump suggested his border czar arrest Newsom, the California governor responded by saying, 'The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.' 'I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism,' Newsom added Monday afternoon. Vance then replied to Newsom, saying, 'Do your job. That's all we're asking.' 'Do YOUR job. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Rescind the order. Return control to California,' Newsom responded, prompting Vance's latest response.

Newsom denies Trump spoke to him before deploying more National Guards
Newsom denies Trump spoke to him before deploying more National Guards

Axios

time6 minutes ago

  • Axios

Newsom denies Trump spoke to him before deploying more National Guards

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Tuesday said President Trump did not speak with him, despite deploying national military personnel to respond to Los Angeles protests. Why it matters: Trump claimed that he had spoken with the governor and criticized his handling of the rallies against Immigration and Customs Enforcement's actions. "There was no call. Not even a voicemail," Newsom said on X. "Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn't even know who he's talking to." Driving the news: Trump, speaking to the media on Tuesday, said he last talked with Newsom "a day ago." "Called him up to tell him, got to do a better job," Trump said. "He's doing a bad job, causing a lot of death and a lot of potential death." Reality check: California authorities have not reported any deaths during the protests. A total of 72 people have been arrested over the past weekend, with five police officers being injured, according to local media report on Monday Context: The Marines deployed to LA have not yet responded to immigration protests.

Black Caucus chair says Trump's actions on L.A. are impeachable
Black Caucus chair says Trump's actions on L.A. are impeachable

Axios

time6 minutes ago

  • Axios

Black Caucus chair says Trump's actions on L.A. are impeachable

Congressional Black Caucus chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday she believes President Trump mobilizing the National Guard and deploying Marines to Los Angeles rises to the level of an impeachable offense. Why it matters: It's a break with House Democrats' general aversion towards impeachment from the head of one of their most powerful groups. The comment comes amid growing animosity between Democrats and the Trump administration over the president's use of law enforcement to carry out a campaign of mass deportations. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Driving the news: During a press conference, Clarke was asked if Trump's actions to quell protests in L.A. rise to the level of an impeachable offense "I definitely believe it is," she responded, "But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Clarke and other Democrats have argued that Trump has violated the U.S. Constitution by mobilizing the National Guard over Newsom's objections. Reality check: Democrats are highly unlikely to pursue an organized impeachment effort against Trump any time soon. Two rank-and-file members, Reps. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) and Al Green (D-Texas), have spearheaded their own rogue impeachment initiatives, but most Democrats have dissociated themselves with those efforts. Most Democrats are clear-eyed that impeachment would be doomed to failure with Republicans in control of Congress — and they often note that Trump won in 2024 despite previously being impeached twice. What they're saying: House Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) told reporters at a subsequent press conference, "I've said before that ... House Democrats aren't focused on impeachment today."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store