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Time of India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Will they win back favor from Donald Trump? These are the companies sponsoring the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll
The White House Easter Egg Roll in 2025 seems like a corporate event, with major tech corporations rushing to sponsor the historic tradition, as per a report. For the first time, this classic tradition will be heavily branded, with big names in Silicon Valley to maintain close ties with the US president Donald Trump and his administration. Corporate Sponsors in the White House Easter Egg Roll 2025 Trump and the first lady Melania Trump will host thousands of visitors to the South Lawn on Monday to experience the annual tradition, which dates back to 1878, as per Business Insider. The event will now include additional activities from technology titans such as Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and even the New York Stock Exchange, according to the report. Meta, Facebook's parent company, will provide an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity," Amazon is providing a reading nook, where families can have a "Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading," and Google-owned YouTube is providing the Bunny Hop Stage for children to meet their favorite creators, reported Business Insider. The New York Stock Exchange will introduce a "Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity," as per the report. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo A Shift Towards Expanded Branding While corporate sponsorship is not new to the White House Easter Egg Roll, but the Trump administration has initiated an opening up to more branding possibilities, with sponsorship deals costing anywhere from $75,000 to $200,000, reported Business Insider. The increased sponsorships are a new development for the White House, as per the report. Executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Donald Sherman told CNN in an interview, "I understand that there are corporate sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll. What I have not seen before is sort of the outright solicitation and the use of the imprimatur of the White House to give corporate sponsorship," quoted Business Insider. Live Events Tech Industry Navigates US-China Trade Tensions The tech partnerships occur as the technology sector cautiously navigates the escalating trade tensions between the US and China, as per the report. Last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had highlighted that tech firms would be exempted from retaliatory tariffs for the time being but also cautioned that they may encounter further tariffs in the future, according to Business Insider. FAQs Who are the main sponsors this year? Tech giants like Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and even the New York Stock Exchange are major sponsors of the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll, as per the report. Is it common for corporate sponsors to be involved? While sponsors have always been part of the event, this year's corporate involvement is much more noticeable, especially with big names like Meta and Amazon.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's White House Easter Egg Roll is brought to you by Big Tech
The 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll will take place on Monday. The event secured partnerships with Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and other companies. Big Tech leaders have sought favor with the Trump administration. The 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll has gone corporate. President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, will welcome guests to the South Lawn on Monday to celebrate the annual event. First hosted by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, the White House Easter Egg Roll has become a tradition that now includes 30,000 eggs. The White House unveiled the full list of the event's partnerships on Friday, revealing what appears to be yet another effort by Big Tech companies to make nice with the Trump administration. Meta will provide an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity," while Amazon will provide a reading nook and a "Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading." YouTube, owned by Google, arranged the Bunny Hop Stage. The New York Stock Exchange also agreed to partner and provide a "Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity." The White House used event company Harbinger to find corporate sponsors for this year's event, according to CNN. The outlet reported that offers ranged from $75,000 to $200,000 with logo and brand opportunities. While the event has had sponsors in the past, it was previously tightly controlled. The expanded branding opportunities are new territory for the Oval Office. "I understand that there are corporate sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll," Donald Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told CNN. "What I have not seen before is sort of the outright solicitation and the use of the imprimatur of the White House to give corporate sponsorship." Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos are among the Silicon Valley titans who've worked to gain favor with Trump in recent months. The pair, alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others, pledged $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee last December. In January, Zuckerberg named longtime Republican Joe Kaplan as Meta's head of policy, replacing former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Meta also announced several policy changes to how it moderates content, including axing third-party fact-checkers — a move likely meant to appease Trump, who once sued Zuckerberg and threatened him with prison after Facebook banned Trump's account in the wake of the Capitol riots. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, meanwhile, prevented the newspaper from endorsing former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. In February, Bezos also shook up the Post's opinion section, saying it would now focus on defending "personal liberties and free markets." For its part, Google also donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. A spokesperson for YouTube told Business Insider that its participation in the White House Easter Egg Roll "has become an annual tradition, and we do so in line with the administration's process." It's the tech giant's third consecutive year participating in the White House Easter Egg Roll. "Our goal is to provide an opportunity for kids to meet their favorite creators, and we look forward to having a presence once again this year," the statement said. A spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment. Meta, the New York Stock Exchange, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment. The partnerships come as the tech industry navigates Trump's ongoing trade war with China. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week said tech companies would be excluded from reciprocal tariffs, but could be subject to additional tariffs in the near future. Ahead of the event, Melania Trump shared an X post thanking White House staff. "As families across the nation gather to celebrate Easter, I extend my gratitude to the dedicated East Wing Staff for their tireless effort in preparing the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll," she wrote on X. "This cherished tradition, rooted in history since 1878, brings joy, storytelling, and laughter to America's children. I look forward to watching all of the smiles light up this memorable day, on Monday." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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. More from Rolling Stone Anti-Trump Protesters Mobilize for Hundreds of Events via 50501 Movement Supreme Court Orders Trump to Freeze Next Round of Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act Count the Dead by the Millions Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
White House Easter Egg Roll gets Big Tech sponsors
Tech giants that helped pay for President Trump's inauguration are among the sponsors of this year's Easter Egg Roll on the lawn of the White House. The list includes Amazon and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, according to a news release from Melania Trump's office. The companies donated $1 million each to Trump's swearing-in festivities as they sought to mend relations in his second term after high-profile clashes in his first. The Easter Egg Roll has been privately funded for years, CNN reported. But the administration's decision to seek corporate sponsors for the event, scheduled for Monday, is a first. CNN reported in March that sponsorship costs range from $75,000 to $200,000. In exchange, sponsors receive naming rights, branded signage and Easter baskets and mentions by the Trump administration in press releases and on social media. The White House has said the revenue will go to the nonprofit White House Historical Association. Richard Painter, an attorney who served as President George W. Bush's chief counsel on ethics, told CNN the concept of corporate sponsorships "would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day." "We're not running this like a football stadium where you get all logos all over the place for kicking in money," CNN quoted Painter as saying. YouTube, another participant in this year's event, said its involvement has become "an annual tradition," NPR reported. The platform is partnering on a "Bunny Hop Stage," according to the news release. Amazon and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, didn't respond to requests for comment, NPR reported. The news release listed a "Reading Nook," a "Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading," courtesy of Amazon, and an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity," courtesy of Meta. The event also features a 'Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity, courtesy of the New York Stock Exchange.' The American Egg Board is supplying 30,000 hard-boiled eggs and a 'Garden Café for Tasty Treats," CNN reported. Other participants include The Toy Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, the National Confectioners Association, GALA and Signature Brands LLC.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
YouTube, Amazon and Meta sign up to sponsor White House Easter Egg Roll
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.'
