President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed young trick-or-treaters to the White House South Lawn on Thursday evening, squeezing in the Halloween celebration between campaign rallies and the roar of passing aircraft.
Trump wore a dark navy suit with a bright blue tie, while Melania greeted families in a brown Noor Hammour trench coat paired with Manolo Blahnik snake-print pumps.
The guest list included military personnel, law enforcement officers, and foster and adoptive families, according to the First Lady’s office. The South Portico was decorated around a harvest moon theme as live music played nearby.
The US Air Force Strolling Strings provided a spooky soundtrack, performing music inspired by Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Jaws and other Halloween favorites on violins and cellos.
Trump and Melania stepped outside holding the hand of a young girl as costumed children and their families gathered for candy, greetings and photographs.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended with his wife, Jennifer, and several of their children. Trump adviser Stephen Miller and his wife, Katie Miller, also arrived with their children and were welcomed by the president and first lady.
A huge inflatable moon hovered above the White House’s south facade, while a sign bearing the words ‘Halloween 2026’ was displayed over the entrance.
Air Force One later flew low over the executive residence, making a dramatic pass for the families gathered on the lawn in their Halloween costumes.
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 aircraft, which was gifted to Trump by Qatari officials, made two passes over the White House grounds.
Trump appeared relaxed and upbeat during the festivities, which offered the Republican president a short break from an intense campaign schedule.
Earlier in the day, he addressed supporters at a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he urged the crowd to ‘pretend that I’m on the ballot.’
Once the final trick-or-treaters had made their way through the line, Trump was expected to take part in two additional tele-rallies.
The event also revived Trump’s well-known Halloween gag. Last year, he repeated the viral stunt from 2019 by placing a chocolate bar on the head of a child wearing a DJ Marshmello costume.
The child appeared to enjoy the joke and walked away with the candy balanced on top of the glowing costume.
Trump first drew attention for the bit in 2019, when he tapped a chocolate bar against the head of a child dressed as a Despicable Me minion.
Instead of dropping the candy into the child’s bag, as he had done for the other young guests, Trump touched the top of the costume and left the chocolate bar resting there.
The White House has hosted an annual Halloween celebration since 1958, during President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration.
This year’s spooky gathering came during the final stretch of the midterm campaign, with Election Day set for Tuesday and Republicans working to retain control of both chambers of Congress.
Polling and election forecasts have increasingly pointed toward Democratic gains, with the party widely viewed as favored to win control of the House and Senate.
Trump is scheduled to travel to Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday for another rally as he campaigns for Republican candidates in the closing days of the midterm contest.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and their children attended the 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
Trump had been expected to hold a rally in Kansas on Saturday, Halloween itself, but the event was canceled Thursday.
According to The Palm Beach Daily News, the president appeared likely to return to his Mar-a-Lago residence on Saturday and could arrive as early as Friday.
The newspaper also reported that temporary flight restrictions connected to presidential travel were expected to be in place over the weekend.
Mar-a-Lago’s annual Halloween celebration is likewise scheduled to take place on Saturday night.
