A flyer circulated by the adjutants general of the National Guard inviting children of National Guard members to submit Easter eggs to the White House contest is the source of the controversy, with outlets like Fox News and The Daily Caller writing stories saying the administration is banning religious themes in this year’s contest.
Indeed, this year’s flyer does say that the decorated Easter egg submissions “must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.”
But the White House and the American Egg Board have pushed back on the suggestion that the restrictions are new, saying that the rules banning religious symbols have been in place for years.
Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, a group that supports the White House Egg Roll, said in a statement, “The American Egg Board has been a supporter of the White House Easter Egg Roll for over 45 years and the guideline language referenced in recent news reports has consistently applied to the board since its founding, across administrations.”
Similarly, the White House emphasized that the guidelines banning religious themes from the eggs have been in place for decades and aren’t the result of a new Biden administration policy.
“The American Egg Board flyer’s standard non-discrimination language requesting artwork has been used for the last 45 years, across all Dem & Republican Admins—for all WH Easter Egg Rolls —incl previous Administration’s,” the first lady’s communications director, Elizabeth Alexander, said in a post on X.
And White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said it was “unsurprising” that some “are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric.”
“President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit,” Bates added, noting that Biden is “a Christian who celebrates Easter with family.”
The Biden administration has also been targeted this Easter holiday for a declaration recognizing Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility.
President Joe Biden did indeed issue a proclamation acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility — along with proclamations declaring 11 other holidays, including Cesar Chavez Day and Arab American Heritage Month.
March 31 has been Transgender Day of Visibility every year since 2010, per GLAAD. This year, Easter falls on March 31.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com