The Bidens hosted their last Halloween celebration at the White House on Wednesday. The occasion was a bit whimsical but also included a controversial moment that Republicans and Trump supporters quickly used to criticize Biden.
The event, dubbed “Hallo-Read,” combined trick-or-treating with an educational twist of some sort, which shouldn’t be surprising since the First Lady had had a 40-year teaching career. Jill Biden dressed up as a giant panda to celebrate the recent return of pandas to Washington’s National Zoo, according to AP News. On the lawn, she entertained children, who were also in costumes, by reading them a story about “spooky pumpkins.”
As evening fell, the Bidens spent about an hour distributing treats to an estimated 8,000 visitors, who were primarily students and children from military families. The President handed out boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses, while the First Lady gave away copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”
The controversial moment happened when President Biden was photographed and filmed playfully pretending to bite several babies in costume.
While the song “Jaws” played in the background, one infant, dressed as a chicken, giggled as Biden mock-nibbled its leg.
The president’s interactions with the babies, which included pretend bites on arms and feet, were used against him by some Trump allies.
Nevertheless, not everyone condemned the interaction as it was also turned into a meme on social media. Some even referred to Trump’s viral statement about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
Ever since Joe Biden faced criticism for referring to some Trump supporters as “garbage,” a mistake he has since clarified, Kamala Harris has been trying to do damage control. On the other hand, former President Trump was seen around the same time as the White House Halloween celebration riding in a “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN Garbage Truck” at a Wisconsin airport. Donning an orange safety vest, Trump quipped to reporters, “How do you like my garbage truck?” before adding, “This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”
This Halloween celebration comes as Biden’s presidency nears its end. The upcoming November 5 elections will determine his successor, with Vice President Kamala Harris now leading the Democratic ticket against Republican candidate Donald Trump.