At this year’s annual White House Halloween party, children were reportedly encouraged to play a “build the wall” game with personalized construction paper bricks.
The event, held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) on October 25, was catered to the families of executive-branch employees and several other “VIP” guests. The celebration included apolitical attractions, like carnival games, candy shops, paper plane workshops, “When I grow up I want to be…” activities, cobwebs and more. But according to one attendee, there was also a project that asked children to complete President Donald Trump’s wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
As photos of the construction-papered wall made the rounds on social media last week, the individual, who asked to be anonymous, told Yahoo! News that they were “horrified” by the activity.
Around the words “build the wall,” children, who were dressed in their costumes, wrote their names on papered bricks and taped them on the station. The Hill reports that nearby, there was also a sign that read “America First,” a slogan Trump has been criticized for using because of its ties to the Ku Klux Klan.
While the White House has not commented on the contentious children’s border wall activity, Vice President Mike Pence told Yahoo! News that he didn’t know about the project.
“I have no idea. I’m not aware of it,” he said.
On Twitter, Erica Castro, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro, criticized the activity and shared what a Halloween celebration at the White House would look like under a Castro administration.
“This is not the example we should be leading for our children,” she said. “During Halloween 2021, we will invite all children and families to the White House with the spirit of unity, joy and celebration.”
Castro for President was the only 2020 presidential campaign to weigh in on the matter.
The displays, which were supposed to be “interactive and inspiring,” were put together by members of the offices at EEOB.
