Easter is the celebration of the risen Christ – and that's once again clear in the White House under the new administration. President Donald Trump promised to defend Christian values and to “honor and celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the observance it deserves,” to quote Jennifer Korn, newly minted faith director. The festivities rolled on through the week, and there’s more to come today. It certainly showcases the stark differences from the Biden administration, which last year declared “Transgender Day of Visibility” on Easter.
Biden’s Bad Timing, or Something More?
“Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood,” the White House said in a statement on March 31, 2024, last Easter. “You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.”
It's worth noting that Biden didn’t pick the date, and that the two days don’t always align. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. As such, the actual date varies and can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Last year, it was March 31. This year, it’s April 20. In 2026, it’ll be on April 5 (a little tidbit for those who like to plan ahead).
The Transgender Day of Visibility was originally set on March 31 by LGBTQ activists back in 2009. In 2021, his first year in office, Joe Biden was the first president to proclaim the special day for trans folks from the White House – a declaration he repeated each year in office. In 2024, it just happened to fall on Easter.
Still, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Christians across the nation (and, presumably, the globe) were outraged. Then-candidate Donald Trump demanded an apology – which, of course, never came. Instead, the administration doubled down and lashed out at Trump and conservative Christians, calling them petty and divisive. There’s nothing wrong with Easter being a celebration of trans people as well, they argued.
This proclamation came on March 29, a couple of days before Easter (and, in the realm of Biden, Transgender Day of Visibility). It seems, however – despite the president’s insistence that he had done no wrong – that the post has been scrubbed from the White House briefing room. If one scrolls back through the pages, there’s no listing for the announcement. The link directly to the page it used to inhabit from a Reuters report just days after returns a 404 Page Not Found error. The former president’s Easter statement, posted on the 31st, is still there.
Biden’s White House did celebrate Easter with a proclamation and the usual Egg Roll and Egg Hunt, of course.
A Different Kind of Easter in the Trump White House
It’s 2025 now, and the culture of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue couldn’t be more different. First, there’s the new Faith Office, a part of Trump’s promise to “bring back Christianity.” Established on February 7, the new office “shall have lead responsibility in the executive branch to empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to serve families and communities,” according to the executive order. And since its inception, evangelical leaders say they have increased access to the president, even compared with his first term.
“This is a different reality,” explained Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. “It comes with unprecedented access and an unparalleled commitment to affirming our Judeo-Christian value system.”
This week, specifically, the Faith Office and the administration have been busy.
“This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the president said in an official proclamation on Palm Sunday. The statement went on to describe Jesus as “the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.” The president also stated: “This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government. We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life and protecting God in our public square.”
On Wednesday, President Trump hosted an Easter prayer service and dinner at the White House. Attendees included Alveda King, niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; evangelical pastors and reverends Jentezen Franklin, Greg Laurie, and Franklin Graham; Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress; and Patty Morin, who also spoke at a press briefing earlier in the day about the murder of her daughter, Rachel.
Easter marks the culmination of Holy Week. It will bring the more secular White House traditions, like the egg hunt and egg roll. But one thing that won’t happen today – and notably didn’t happen back on March 31 – is an official declaration of trans celebrations. It just isn’t that kind of White House anymore.
