We’re less than 100 days into Donald Trump’s presidency and his administration has already managed to bungle healthcare repeal, international relations, and a travel ban – twice.

Next on the list of Trump’s defeats could be the annual White House Easter egg roll, after suggestions the much-loved event could fall foul of the government’s failure to recruit key members of staff.

The egg roll, which has been taking place since 1878, attracted up to 37,000 people a year during Barack Obama’s time in the White House. This year’s roll is due to take place on Easter Monday but appears to have fallen well behind schedule.

Under Obama, tickets were awarded to lottery winners in February, allowing out-of-town egg-propulsion enthusiasts to plan trips well in advance. But it was March this year before Trump’s staff even confirmed that this year’s roll was taking place, and people were only notified if they had won tickets at the very end of that month.

The White House was further bedevilled when the company that manufactures the commemorative eggs used in the Easter egg roll had to use Twitter to remind the president to submit an order.

To add to the general air of confusion, the New York Times reported that as of 11 April public schools in the Washington DC area – which normally receive 4,000 tickets for children – had yet to hear from the government. Even members of Congress were yet to receive confirmation that they would get tickets.

One reason for the chaos is that the first lady’s staff have traditionally planned the event – but Melania Trump, who has remained in New York where son Barron attends school rather than moving to the White House, is yet to appoint her full team. It has left officials scrambling to make sure it is a success – and avoid a shellacking from the media.

Ellie Schafer, who organized egg rolls under the Obama administration, told the Times it was impossible to “understand what a beast this thing is to plan until you go and plan your first one”.

“The stakes are high because it’s such a Washington tradition, and people just love it and have very strong feelings about it,” Schafer said.



The only member of the Trump administration with direct experience of the event is beleaguered press secretary Sean Spicer, who portrayed the Easter Bunny in 2008.

“It gets very hot,” Spicer told Politico of the experience.

“I can’t see too much, and the bunny does not talk, but every child is special on this day … Most children are so excited to see the bunny that they are on their best behavior.”

Pictures of Spicer in his Easter Bunny suit emerged earlier this year. His rabbit was white, with blue eyes and pale blue eye shadow. Real rabbits generally use all four legs to achieve locomotion, but Spicer’s interpretation walked upright on two feet.

The press secretary is not expected to reprise his role this year. It is unclear who will take his place.

The White House has been yoked to the egg rolling event since 1878, when Rutherford B Hayes invited some children to propel eggs across the White House’s south lawn.

Looking forward to hosting the annual Easter Egg Roll at the @WhiteHouse on Monday! pic.twitter.com/nz7vucugx9 — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 14, 2017

The tradition was poached from the UK, where egg rolling has taken place for hundreds of years – perhaps most prominently in Preston, in north-west England, where decorated eggs are dispatched down a large hill in one of the city’s parks. The pastime is said to have originated from pagan traditions.

On Thursday the White House sought to allay fears that its egg plans had been poorly laid. In a briefing Spicer said that 21,000 people were expected to attend Monday’s roll, and that 18,000 commemorative eggs had been ordered, which he said was “in line with previous years”. A note from the White House confirmed that both Donald and Melania Trump will attend.

Temperatures of up to 85F are expected in Washington DC this weekend, but Monday will be cooler, lessening the risk of participants being fried.

The government’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for the Easter egg roll is surprising, as Trump himself is a noted egg fan. He told People magazine in September 2016 that he likes to eat bacon and eggs – cooked “over-well” – for breakfast.

He may be disappointed to learn, however, that the eggs used at the White House event are made of wood, and are therefore inedible.