President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania gave out candy to tiny trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn Thursday evening in between the president's rallies and jet engine roars.
asserted
Trump → give → rallies
Trump was in a dark blue suit with a royal blue tie, and Melania wore a Noor Hammour brown trench with Manolo snake pumps when handing out candy.
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Melania → wear → candy
Guests included military, law enforcement, and foster and adoptive families, according to the First Lady's office, which decorated the South Portico with a harvest-moon theme as a band played.
uncertain
band → include → theme
The themes of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Jaws and other spooky serenades sang out from violins and cellos courtesy of the US Air Force Strolling Strings.
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themes → sing → Strings
The president and first lady walked out holding the hand of a young girl as eager attendees began lining up for candy and photo-ops.
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attendees → walk → candy
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and several of their children were greeted by the president and first lady, as were Trump adviser Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller, along with their children.
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Miller → greet → children
A giant inflatable moon adorned the White House's southern facade just above the president and first lady as they tended to the crowd.
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they → adorn → crowd
A sign reading 'Halloween 2026' hung above the door.
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sign → read → door
Air Force One soon buzzed overhead, flying low and slow to show off for the crowd of costume-wearing families.
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One → buzz → families
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hand out candy as they welcome children during the 'Halloween at the White House' event on October 29, 2026 in Washington
The president attended a campaign rally in South Carolina just hours before the event
The White House announced it had a 'harvest moon' theme for this year's decorations
President Trump placed a chocolate bar on a child dressed as a minion in 2019
The new plane, gifted to the president by Qatari officials, made two passes over the executive residence.
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plane → hand → residence
The president appeared cheerful during the celebration, which doubled as a brief respite for the Republican amid his busy schedule.
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which → appear → schedule
Before the event, he was in Rock Hill, South Carolina, for a rally where he told the crowd to 'pretend that I'm on the ballot.
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I → tell → ballot
After the trick-or-treating line concludes, he will hold two more tele-rallies.
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he → conclude → rallies
Last year, Trump recreated his viral Halloween moment from 2019 when he placed a chocolate bar on the head of a child dressed as DJ Marshmellow.
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he → recreate → Marshmellow
The youngster took the joke in good spirit and walked with the candy balancing on top of his glowing costume.
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candy → take → costume
In 2019, Trump famously tappied a child dressed up in a Despicable Me minion costume with a bar of chocolate.
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Trump → tappie → chocolate
Rather than toss it into the child's goody bag - as he had done with every other youngster - he tapped the head of the costume then placed the bar on top.
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he → toss → top
The White House holds an annual Halloween event every year, a tradition dating back to President Dwight Eisenhower's term in 1958.
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House → hold → 1958
This year's ghoulish festivities landed squarely in campaign season, with Election Day on Tuesday and Republicans fighting to hold both chambers of Congress.
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Republicans → land → Congress
The odds have increasingly favored the Democrats, who appear in polls and predictions to be strongly favored to win control of the House and Senate.
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who → favor → House
Trump heads to Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday for another rally as he barnstorms for Republicans in the final days of the midterm campaign.
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he → head → campaign
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and their children attended the event.
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Hegseth → attend → event
They were in line next to Trump adviser Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller, along with their children
Donald Trump and Melania handing out candy at the White House in 2025, rehashing a 2019 party trick from where he puts a bar of chocolate on a trick-or-treater's head
On Saturday - the actual day of Halloween - Trump was expected to hold a rally in Kansas, but it was canceled on Thursday.
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it → hand → Thursday
The president appears poised to return to his Mar-a-Lago home on Saturday, potentially arriving as early as Friday, according to The Palm Beach Daily News.
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president → appear → News
The outlet reported that flight restrictions related to presidential travel were to be expected over the weekend.
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restrictions → report → weekend
The Mar-a-Lago Club's annual Halloween bash is also expected on Saturday night.
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bash → expect → night