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The White House is for the first time soliciting corporate sponsors for the annual 

 event to be held Monday on the South Lawn. This comes as billionaire tech executives have faced growing criticism for 

"In addition to the classic Egg Roll and Egg Hunt—both featuring real, small- and medium-sized eggs donated by American egg farmers—guests will enjoy a wide array of entertaining activities thanks to the White House Historical Association and its partnerships," the White House said in a statement.

 were companies including YouTube, Amazon, and Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta.

Tech company executives, including Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerburg of Meta and Google CEO Sundar Pichai 

 and for taking meetings with Trump and his allies.

Most notable among the tech billionaires to rub elbows with Trump is Tesla boss Elon Musk, who has taken on 

 within the White House, despite concerns that his involvement in federal affairs marked an improper, if illegal, shift in government protocol.

 earlier this month that the White House had begun courting sponsors for the typically apolitical family gathering, at between $75,000 to $200,000. The White House says the money raised will go to the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit.

In a statement, YouTube said its participation in the Easter Egg Roll "has become an annual tradition, and we do so in line with the administration's process. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for kids to meet their favorite creators, and we look forward to having a presence once again this year." NPR reached out to other companies, but they did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The annual event dates back to the presidency of 

, according to the White House, and save for war and food shortages, have been a mainstay of Pennsylvania Avenue since 1878.

 will use eggs "donated by American egg farmers," also comes as egg prices in the United States have reached 

 due to an outbreak of avian flu that has forced farmers to 

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Alana Wise

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Corporate sponsors for the usually apolitical event held on the White House South Lawn include tech giants Meta, YouTube and Amazon.

White House solicits corporate sponsors for its Easter Egg Roll event

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