18-04-2025
Pictures of Donald and Melania Trump at Easter services in Palm Beach through the years
While it appears that President Donald Trump will not return to Palm Beach for his annual Easter weekend stay at Mar-a-Lago, the president did visit the area for Easter for three of four years of his first presidency, skipping only in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here's a look at his Easter visits from 2017 through 2020.
The president attended Easter service Sunday morning at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach about three miles north of Mar-a-Lago.
A line of worshippers in Easter florals and wide-brimmed hats snaked outside the front door before the 11 a.m. service, waiting for searches of purses and hoping for seats. Metal detectors were on-site, as were Secret Service agents in bulletproof vests. A double line of motorcycle cops was parked on a side street of the church just prior to the presidential motorcade's arrival at the church at 141 S. County Road.
Across the street, longtime Trump supporter Lina Lindroos, of Hypoluxo, stood on the hood of the Trump mobile, a high-profile homage on wheels to the president, an object of international attention cobbled together from three different cars. Standing nearby was her husband, Karl, a part of the Lantana Finnish community, which supported Trump.
Just around the corner from both, a Palm Beach resident in a pink hat and dress, held up a hand-lettered sign with the message, "Palm Beach is powered by immigrants."
"I wouldn't want to detract from the president's Easter," she said. "I pray for him as a person and as a president."
But, she said, "I think it's important to remember our immigrants here in Palm Beach, who prepare our meals, care for our young and our elderly."
As she stood on the corner with her sign, a woman walked past, turned on her heels and came back, wagging her finger.
"Let me tell you something. I am Mexican, I am legal, I pay taxes and we need a wall!" she said angrily before walking away.
A block away, the president, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron; Trump's daughter, Tiffany; and the first lady's parents entered the church through a series of tents erected to give the family privacy.
The Rev. James Harlan, the church's rector, gave a welcome message before the service with instructions on receiving communion — and turning off cellphones and cameras.
Most of the congregation appeared not to be distracted by the president sitting in the pews, though some said Trump's presence was significant.
"I think it does give a special meaning to the service to have the president here," said Jim Beasley, a member at Bethesda. "I think it's an old custom for presidents to go to church on Sunday, certainly on Easter and Christmas especially. It's just a matter of where he chooses to go. I think it's very impressive that he's here, not just at Bethesda but here in Palm Beach."
London resident Arthur McCalmont, who sat two rows away from the president, was relieved politics had been left outside the church doors. The service was "very nonpolitical, very noncontroversial," he said.
Trump left after taking communion.
The president was active on his Twitter account before church — wishing "Happy Easter to everyone!" and also tweeting about relations with China, his desire to strengthen the U.S. military and his apparent annoyance with Saturday's anti-Trump rallies near Mar-a-Lago and nationwide.
"I did what was an almost an impossible thing to do for a Republican — easily won the Electoral College! Now Tax Returns are brought up again?" Trump tweeted. Later, he added: "Someone should look into who paid for the small organized rallies yesterday. The election is over!"
The first family brunched at Mar-a-Lago with Trump's sons Eric and Donald Jr., then held an afternoon Easter egg hunt.
President Donald Trump had begun the Easter weekend with a visit to his golf club on Friday while first lady Melania Trump visited a group home for abused girls near Lake Worth.
The president spent four hours at nearby Trump International Golf Club in unincorporated West Palm Beach, arriving about 10 a.m. and leaving about 2 p.m.
Melania Trump made an unannounced visit to seven girls at a group home for victims of abuse and domestic violence operated by HomeSafe just outside Lake Worth.
"This is a day that the girls will never forget," said Matthew Ladika, the HomeSafe chief executive officer.
The first lady arrived at about 10:15 a.m. and spent about 45 minutes talking with a group of girls between the ages of 12 and 17, Ladika said.
The girls were all removed from their families by court orders and placed in HomeSafe's residential program, the agency said.
"It was extra special and touching. … She asked them what their interests are," Ladika said.
Melania Trump brought the girls gifts and brought Easter baskets and stuffed bunnies for other children at other HomeSafe residences. HomeSafe has a capacity for 40 boys and eight girls at its residences.
Ladika said the Secret Service visited the Lake Worth residence on Thursday to check it out before Melania Trump's visit.
"I had a wonderful time visiting @HomeSafeFla today! The young ladies I spoke with hold so much promise for the future," said a tweet on the first lady's official Twitter account later in the day.
Trump's three-day Easter weekend in Palm Beach included church, vandalism and a few swipes at Mexico.
Easter morning brought news of vandalism at Trump International Golf Club in suburban West Palm Beach. Red paint was splattered across a large sign near the entrance of the club during the night.
As workers cleaned the sign, the president blasted out several tweets before heading to Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal church, where the Trumps were married and their son, Barron, baptized. Some churchgoers waited hours to snag a seat at the 11 a.m. service. Church ambassador Sandra Chase said her phone rang nearly nonstop from Good Friday through Easter Sunday with people calling to see if she could get them a seat at Sunday's 11 a.m. service.
The president, first lady Melania Trump and the president's youngest daughter, Tiffany, entered a side door and sat in the third row of pews surrounded by Secret Service. Melania wore a sleeveless, calf-length red print dress and her signature heels. Tiffany wore a light rose-colored shift. The president appeared in his usual dark suit, white shirt and red tie.
No other Trump family members attended the service.
The Trumps sat quietly in the third row surrounded by Secret Service. About a dozen people approached the first family's pew during the passing of the peace in which churchgoers shake one another's hands. Secret Service, a Palm Beach police officer and church leaders shooed away other eager churchgoers. The congregation applauded as the Trumps left the church before the final hymn.
The president posted a simple "HAPPY EASTER" tweet at 8:27 a.m. Two hours later, he strung together three tweets blasting Mexico for failing to stop "big flows of people all trying to take advantage of DACA ... they laugh at our dumb immigration laws."
On the diplomacy front, the president made a call to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. According to a White House statement, the two discussed "continued efforts to increase cooperation between their two countries, advance shared interests as NATO allies, and to work through issues that affect the bilateral relationship."
The president also managed to squeeze in nearly 12 hours at his golf club on Friday and Saturday, spending time with Fox News host Sean Hannity, PGA Tour member Dustin Johnson, son Eric and granddaughter Kai.
Trump took a break from politics — briefly — to attend church services on Sunday morning on the final day of his four-day Easter visit to Palm Beach.
After spending the morning firing off a series of tweets, including several that were critical of the then-recently completed probe conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller, the president and first lady arrived at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church for an 11 a.m. Easter service.
Accompanied by the president's younger daughter, Tiffany, and her then-boyfriend, Michael Boulos, they were ushered from a side door to their seats near the front and just stage left as viewed from the alter.
Their appearance prompted a bit of rubbernecking, and some intermittent cellphone snaps, before church attendants delivered taps on shoulders and polite requests to tuck away the electronics.
The service, which stretched nearly an hour and half, included hymns, a brief homily delivered by Rev. James Harlan and communion. The Trumps exited a side door just minutes ahead of the rest of the attendees.
"The energy, the enthusiasm, can't you feel it?" asked Frank Booker, visiting from St. Simons Island, Georgia, for the fourth Easter in a row. "The service is outstanding, the brass and music, it absolutely fills you with the spirit of Easter."
The Mueller report, however, was foremost on Trump's mind hours before church services began.
The president tweeted seven times in three hours Sunday morning, with three of those tweets addressing a redacted version of the Mueller report that was released to Congress and the public the previous Thursday morning.
During his four-day stay in Palm Beach, Trump tweeted more than 30 times about Mueller.
He started the day with Easter wishes, and followed that with a tweet addressing a terrorist attack in Sri Lanka.
Three more tweets following that addressed the Mueller report, with Trump calling it "a total hit job," and a "corrupt political Witch Hunt."
A final tweet noted the number of jobless claims in the United States, which Trump called the "lowest (BEST) level in over 50 years!"
The president had Easter lunch at Mar-a-Lago before departing around 4:20 p.m.
John F. Kennedy, whose family owned a compound on North County Road in Palm Beach, visited Palm Beach for Easter as president in 1961, 1962 and 1963. Kennedy attended services at St. Edward's Catholic Church and at a private chapel at the Kennedy home.
Kennedy spent at least a portion of 96 days in Palm Beach during his presidency, according to records from the John F. Kennedy Library.
More: Palm Beach churches prepare for Holy Week services, activities
Trump traditionally has spent Easter — which is near the end of Palm Beach's social season — at his Mar-a-Lago estate. In past years, Trump and his family members have attended Easter Sunday service at a local church before returning to Mar-a-Lago for brunch.
The Mar-a-Lago Club closes after Mother's Day for Palm Beach's off-season, and reopens on Halloween. While the club will be closed, Trump will still be able to stay there and host guests. He and the first lady declared Mar-a-Lago their permanent residence in 2019.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@ Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Photos of Donald and Melania Trump over the years at Easter services
