2:08President Donald Trump is seated beside Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Halloween celebration at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fa., Oct. 31, 2025. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump has received backlash after he threw a Halloween bash with a "Great Gatsby" theme mere hours before millions of Americans were to lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The Friday evening soiree at Mar-a-Lago was given the moniker "A little party never killed nobody,” per information from the White House, referencing the title of a song from the 2013 cinematic adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.
President Donald Trump attends a Halloween gathering at his Mar-a-Lago abode in Palm Beach, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2025.Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Guests were spotted in 1920s-era garb and greeters in flapper costumes welcomed the attendees, which featured Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ivanka and Tiffany Trump, along with their spouses, Jared Kushner and Michael Boulos.
President Donald Trump is seen with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Mar-a-Lago Halloween event in Palm Beach, Fla., Oct. 31, 2025.Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Trump offered no comments while reporters were present.
Fitzgerald's 1925 book has been lauded by literary authorities for years due to its portrayal of the opulence and socioeconomic divides present in the country during the Roaring Twenties.
Several Democrats called attention to the symbolism and took issue with the president for throwing the celebration as the government shutdown persists.
President Donald Trump observes a guest dressed in prison attire during a Halloween celebration at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2025.Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin claimed Trump is unconcerned about Americans who could suffer without SNAP assistance because of the shutdown.
"Last night, Trump made it all the more apparent that he doesn’t care about anyone other than himself and his rich friends," he expressed in a statement.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy shared a photo from the event on his social media and remarked, "The manner in which he flaunts his lack of empathy in Americans' faces never ceases to amaze me."
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly rejected the objections, arguing in a statement Saturday, "These Democrats are not being truthful."
"President Trump has repeatedly urged them to act responsibly and reopen the government, which they are capable of doing at any moment," she continued.
A federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary order to the Trump administration on Friday to proceed with SNAP funding, following a lawsuit by several states. Another judge in Boston decreed that the Trump administration's attempt to halt SNAP funding is "illegal," but chose not to immediately mandate that the program receive funding.
Trump stated Friday that his administration's legal advisors are uncertain whether they have the legal justification to pay for SNAP during the government shutdown and stated that he has requested clarity from the courts following two recent decisions.
"If we are given the appropriate legal directive by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just as I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay," Trump expressed in a social media communication.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
