Hunter Biden and his son, baby Beau, joined President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll.
Hunter attended the annual White House event for a second year in a row as House Republicans have started investigating his foreign business deals as part of a broader look into ‘Biden family influence peddling,’ the phrasing used by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer.
Baby Beau was enlisted by his grandmother, Dr. Biden, to assist in her reading the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, in the reading nook, holding up the book for her while she recited it to guests.
‘This is Beau my grandson,’ the first lady told the crowd, after telling the pre-schooler. ‘Thank you Beau. Thank you for reading with Nana.’
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten brought their twins Penelope and Gus to the Easter Egg Roll, and posed for pictures with the youngsters at the egg roll game.
Baby Beau Biden (left), the son of Hunter Biden, helps his grandmother, first lady Jill Biden (right) read the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
President Joe Biden (left) walks with his son Hunter Biden (right) at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
Chasten and Pete Buttigieg attended the Easter Egg Roll with their twins, Penelope and Gus
President Joe Biden (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) gave brief remarks at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
Hunter Biden can be seen at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll. He is being investigated by several House Republican-led committees
Secretary of State Antony Blinken brought his young kids to the reading nook and was spotted standing with Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen as Dr. Biden read to the children.
The president and first lady appeared on the Truman balcony flanked by two Easter bunnies and made brief remarks to kick off their portion of the program.
‘Good morning everyone, I’m Joe Biden, Jill Biden’s husband,’ the president said, repeating the often-made joke. ‘Welcome to the White House – your house.’
‘Easter is a season of joy, a time of rebirth, renewal, faith, hope and love,’ he continued. ‘A time to remember that in the beauty of spring, the seeds of new opportunity are planted.’
‘And this spring, our future is filled with unlimited possibilities that can multiply and grow because of all the good people here and throughout the country,’ the president added.
Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff walked the grounds with the president and first lady.
After her stop at the reading nook, Dr. Biden appeared at the talent show stage and introduced a performance by cast members of Disney’s The Lion King stage production.
Dr. Jill Biden introduced a performance from the cast of Disney’s The Lion King at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
‘The Lion King has amazed and enchanted kids and grown ups alike,’ she said. ‘And now they’re bringing their magic to the Easter Egg Roll.’
The cast performed the opening song of the hit 1994 Disney movie and Can You Feel the Love Tonight.
The Easter Egg Roll spans 12 hours, starting at 7 a.m. and not wrapping up until 7 p.m., with about 30,000 people expected to come through the White House gates.
Thousands of military and veteran families are invited, as well as caregivers and survivors, according to the White House press release.
Disney’s new ‘woke’ Little Mermaid, actress Halle Bailey, was announced as one of the entertainers, but did not perform while the president, first lady, vice president and second gentleman were outside.
Bailey plays Ariel in the upcoming live-action version of the Disney cartoon classic.
The movie, set to be released in May, has proven to be controversial – including changes to song lyrics to reflect cultural shifts and questions about whether Ariel will prove to be enough of a feminist icon. And Bailey, who is black, was subject to racist attacks online when the first images of her as a mermaid appeared.
Transportatiob Secretary Pete Buttigieg (upper left) and his husband Chasten (upper right) help their twins Penelope and Gus roll eggs at Monday’s Easter Egg Roll
Baby Beau Biden (left) assist his ‘Nana,’ Dr. Jill Biden, in reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? during Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
President Joe Biden hugs a participant at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
Secretary of State Antony Blinken sits with his chiledren as they attend a story reading in the book nook during Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
President Joe Biden takes a selfie with attendees at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
One attendee was not impressed with Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
The Marine Band performs at Monday’s Easter Egg Roll in advance of the president and first lady’s appearance
Children participate in the egg rolling game that gives the White House Easter Egg Rolls its name
Disney characters, along with those from PBS, Sesame Street and other childhood favorites – have long been a part of the White House Easter Egg Roll.
But Disney is now a part of the political conversation after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is eying a presidential bid, made it a target as part of his war on ‘woke’ culture. Disney fired back and the dispute will likely make headlines into the next year.
Jill Biden, a teacher, tried to keep the focus of Monday’s event off politics and on education.
‘Learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom,’ she said standing alongside her husband on the Truman balcony.
She’s again dubbed her event an ‘EGGucational’ day, noting in a Twitter post that it will be a day ‘where children and their families will learn, explore, and have fun at the White House.’
In honor of the theme, NASA sent one of the wooden Official White House Easter Eggs up to the International Space Station, where astronauts used it to demonstrate the laws of gravity.
On the South Lawn, there were a variety of stations to teach children about farming, healthier eating, exercise and more.
Families of the U.S.S. Delaware and U.S.S. Gabrielle Giffords – two Navy ships that Jill Biden sponsors – were in attendance.
Tickets for the general public were distributed through an online lottery.
The American Egg Board donated about 30,000 eggs for the traditional egg race, where children use wooden spoons to roll the eggs in a race across the South Lawn.
The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878.
It was canceled the first year of the Biden administration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year it rained through portions of the event.
This year, crowds got sunshine and temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (right) snaps a picture of his husband Chasten (left) and their twins Penelope and Gus at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
President Joe Biden (left) fist bumps one of the attendees at Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll
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