First Corporate-Sponsored White House Easter Egg Roll Draws Trump Pals Amazon, Google, Meta
First Lady Melania Trump's Easter Egg Roll, scheduled for Monday, features corporate sponsors for the first time in the event's history, among them major Silicon Valley corporations.
The event — which takes place when egg prices are at record highs and avian flu is spreading through flocks — features a reading nook and photo op sponsored by Amazon; a 'Bunny Hop Stage' sponsored by YouTube, which is owned by Google; and an 'AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity' sponsored by Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Thread's parent company, Meta. A 'Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity' is sponsored by the New York Stock Exchange.
Other sponsors are slightly more on theme, like the American Egg Board, the Toy Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, and the National Confectioners Association.
'That would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day,' Richard Painter, an ethics lawyer who served in the White House Counsel's Office under President George W. Bush, told CNN.
While Trump's Easter basket will be filled with corporate sponsorships on Monday, the Trump administration has continued scrutinizing big tech over potential antitrust violations. On Monday, the Justice Department will begin a hearing over Google's search monopoly. The Federal Trade Commission also opened a trial against Meta over its purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp.
In March, CNN reported that the White House was seeking corporate sponsors. The event has historically been privately sponsored, mainly through the American Egg Board, and not through corporations. Sponsorships reportedly cost $75,000 to $200,000. The funds will go to the White House Historical Association.
'Sponsors of (the White House Easter Egg Roll) provide financial support, activities, and giveaways to enhance the event while gaining valuable brand visibility and national recognition,' according to the guide soliciting sponsors. 'Their contributions allow the event to be privately funded without taxpayer money, creating a memorable experience for children and families.'
This is not Amazon's first time currying favor with the president and his wife. Amazon's Jeff Bezos had dinner with Trump and Melania in December. Shortly after that, Amazon licensed Melania's documentary for $40 million, the most Amazon has ever spent on a documentary.
Amazon's cloud computing subsidiary has made billions in contracts with the National Security Agency, the Defense Department, and the Navy. Meta said last November that it would allow U.S. national security agencies and defense contractors to use its artificial intelligence model despite a general ban on military and espionage uses.
Google just scored a contract with the General Services Administration over Google Workspace that was praised by Trump crony Elon Musk.
Only time will tell as to whether the First Lady's event will be a success.
'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,' a former official involved in planning the event told CNN.
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