Hot cross bunny: 'Easter Bunny' ushers Biden away from conversation on Afghanistan and Pakistan

US President Joe Biden was caught off guard on Monday when the “Easter Bunny” hopped in during a discussion about Afghanistan and Pakistan with reporters, promptly ended the conversation and ushered him away. 

In one video shared widely online Biden is interrupted after saying “Pakistan should not and Afghanistan should be - people should be free…” by someone in a fluffy Easter bunny costume at the White House Easter Egg Roll, a celebration for children.

In a second video taken from the opposite side, the holiday character is seen breaking up Biden’s conversation and directing him in another direction. This led social media users to jokingly speculate who is running America’s democracy - Biden or the Bunny. 

Why is the Easter Bunny directing the President of the United States 🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲 pic.twitter.com/9bgXQJ6EXW

— Abigail Marone 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) April 18, 2022

“Why is the Easter Bunny directing the President of the United States,” tweeted Abigail Marone, Press Secretary to Josh Hawley, a US Republican senator from Missouri. 

Jake Schneider, who also works for the Republican party, tweeted: “Even the Easter Bunny knows not to let Joe Biden talk foreign policy.” 

The individual in the bunny suit, later revealed on social media, was Director of Message Planning at White House Meghan Hays. 

Biden is well known for his gaffes, and commentators concluded that his administration was keen to avoid another one during the holidays. 

Hopping on a zoom call. 🐰 pic.twitter.com/voxLi3lA77

— Angela Perez (@ADCPerez46) April 18, 2022

The Easter Egg Roll, cancelled for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, saw around 30,000 guests come to the White House. 

The event occurred eight months after Biden’s administration oversaw a chaotic withdrawal of foreign troops in Afghanistan. 

Tens of thousands of Afghans now live in crippling poverty as the country’s economy and foreign investment collapsed after the Taliban seized power.