Biden calls Johnson ‘uninformed’ over Easter criticism

President Biden on Monday said Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was “uninformed” in his criticism of the White House for the Easter holiday falling on the same day as Transgender Day of Visibility.

“He’s thoroughly uninformed,” Biden said during Monday’s Easter Egg Roll when asked about Johnson’s criticism, noting he did not specifically proclaim Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday.

Johnson joined a chorus of conservatives over the weekend who blasted the White House for rules preventing religious symbols from being used in its Easter egg art contest, as well as for the timing of Transgender Day of Visibility.

“The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Johnson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”

But the White House has pushed back hard on both criticisms, which officials have said are misleading.

Biden proclaimed Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility because the day always falls on March 31. Easter, which can fall on any Sunday from late-March to mid-April, happened to fall on the same day this year. Transgender Day of Visibility was first recognized 15 years ago to celebrate transgender people and raise awareness around the discrimination they face. 

At the same time, White House officials noted the rules barring religious symbols from being used in the egg contest have been long-standing and have been the same for Republican administrations, including during the Trump presidency.

“*Fyi on all the misleading swirl re White House and Easter: 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,” Elizabeth Alexander, the communications director for first lady Jill Biden, wrote on X.