White House preparing ‘extraordinary’ programme of events to mark Holy Week
The Catholic Herald• April 14, 2025
The White House is preparing for an “extraordinary” programme for Holy Week, with President Trump taking part in a series of events to honour the lead up to Easter and Easter itself with “the observance it deserves”.
The Holy Week schedule has been devised by the new “White House Faith Office”, which was founded to “assist faith-based entities, community organisations, and houses of worship in their efforts to strengthen American families, promote work and self-sufficiency, and protect religious liberty”.
“The newly created White House Faith Office is grateful to share that President Trump will honour and celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the observance it deserves,” Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital.
“Throughout the week, we will distribute a Holy Week proclamation, a special presidential video message (and) host a pre-Easter dinner and White House staff Easter service.”
Korn said it “will be a special time of prayer and worship at the White House to be shared with Americans celebrating the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday.”
On Palm Sunday, the president is expected to issue a presidential Easter proclamation that will speak directly to Christians as Holy Week begins and maintain his commitment to defend the Christian faith in schools, in the military, in workplaces, hospitals, in government and beyond.
On Monday, the president is expected to release a Holy Week video and on Wednesday will host an Easter dinner, which is expected to feature hymns from the Marine Corps Band, Christian opera by singer Charles Billingsley, prayers and remarks from President Trump.
Christian pastors, priests and faith leaders are expected to attend the dinner along with the president, Korn, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office.
On Holy Thursday, the president is expected to host a staff worship service at the White House.
During the service, an ensemble from Liberty University will perform worship music.
“President Trump promised millions of Christians across the country that he would create a White House Faith Office, and he delivered on that promise,” Leavitt said. “The White House Faith Office has put together an extraordinary weeklong celebration for Holy Week ahead of Easter Sunday.”
Leavitt stressed that this “is another sharp contrast from the previous administration”.
Leavitt noted that, last year, the Biden White House marked Easter Sunday, which fell on March 31, 2024, the most solemn Christian holiday, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
The Biden administration pointed out at the time that the president didn’t choose March 31 as the date for Transgender Day of Visibility, and that, since 2021, when Biden took office, the White House had issued the same proclamation every year on March 31.
At the time, Leavitt, who was serving as the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, blasted Biden’s proclamation as “appalling and insulting”, calling it an example of the Biden administration’s “years long assault on the Christian faith”.
“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and the White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” she said last year.