President Trump Surprises Group of Schoolchildren as White House Tours Resume

Tours of the White House have resumed and President Donald Trump surprised one of the first groups by greeting them in person — right next to a large portrait of Hillary Clinton.

The President stunned a group of around 40 to 50 schoolchildren when he appeared from behind a wooden partition in a hallway below the front entrance and East Room, where Clinton’s portrait adorns one of the walls.

President Trump then beckoned the children over and posed for photos with one boy who was brave enough to join him, telling the shocked onlookers: “Work hard, everybody.”

First Lady Melania Trump announced on Feb. 14 that the public tours were resuming for the first time since before her husband’s inauguration. “I am excited to reopen the White House to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come each year,” she said in a statement. “The White House is a remarkable and historic site and we are excited to share its beauty and history. I am committed to the restoration and preservation of our Nation’s most recognizable landmark.”

The self-guided and free public White House tours are available from Tuesday to Saturday. Requests for a tour can be submitted through a Member of Congress up to three months in advance.