WASHINGTON — The White House is aiming to bring on corporate sponsors for this year’s Easter Egg Roll, according to multiple reports, a move that would deviate from traditional norms surrounding the nearly 150-year-old holiday celebration. 

What You Need To Know

  • The White House is aiming to bring on corporate sponsors for this year’s Easter Egg Roll, according to multiple reports, a move that would deviate from traditional norms surrounding the nearly 150-year-old holiday celebration

  • CNN first reported over the weekend that event production company Harbinger is leading the effort, with sponsorships starting at $75,000 and running as high as $200,000

  • The annual Easter celebration that dates back to 1878 and sees thousands of children and parents fill the South Lawn to race eggs across finish lines with wooden spoons

  • Bringing on corporate sponsors would mark a new standard for the White House event, raising questions about compliance with U.S. regulations

CNN first reported over the weekend that event production company Harbinger is leading the effort, with sponsorships starting at $75,000 and running as high as $200,000. Deals for potential sponsors, according to a document, posted online by The New York Times, that was sent to businesses, include advertising opportunities, such as naming rights to areas of the event, typically held on the White House South Lawn, and the chance to put branding and logos on signage or items featured at the celebration. 

The money reportedly would go to the White House Historical Association, a private nonprofit with the mission of preserving the history of the Executive Mansion.   

The annual Easter celebration that dates back to 1878 and sees thousands of children and parents fill the South Lawn to race eggs across finish lines with wooden spoons. The American Egg Board donates eggs for the event. The White House announced last month that this year's event would take place on April 21. 

Bringing on corporate sponsors would mark a new standard for the White House event, raising questions about compliance with U.S. regulations. 

The White House is deferring comment to the White House Historical Association and Harbinger. Spectrum News reached out to both organizations for comment. 

Speaking on CNN on Monday, Norm Eisen, a senior fellow of government studies at the Brookings Institution who served as the special counsel for ethics and government reform under former President Barack Obama, argued that the potential move goes against U.S. rules. 

“There's regulations that you cannot be entangled commercially,” said Eisen, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump. “And I think this raises profound issues around those rules.

“Large or small, even if it's just bringing these corporations in for an egg roll, government shouldn't be influenced by corporations,” he added. 

The White House has not responded to a request from Spectrum News for comment.

Trump, who often notes his business experience himself, has at times strayed from convention when it comes to the White House and companies, putting, for instance, powerful tech CEOs in prime seats at his inauguration in January and recently bringing Teslas to the South Lawn to advocate for the business of his adviser Elon Musk.

Note: This article was updated to say Spectrum News has reached out to the White House for comment.