'I didn't do that': Biden says it wasn't him who designated Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility and calls Speaker Mike Johnson 'thoroughly uninformed' for his furious response

President Joe Biden on Monday said he did not declare Easter Sunday the Transgender Day of Visibility and slammed Speaker Mike Johnson as being 'thoroughly uninformed' for accusing him of doing so. 

Biden sparked a torrent of criticism from conservatives over the weekend after issuing a proclamation recognizing the day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people. 

Johnson, former President Donald Trump and many other Republicans slammed Biden, with the speaker calling the president's move 'outrageous and abhorrent.'

However, when asked on Monday if he had named Easter the Transgender Day of Visibility, Biden said: 'I didn't do that.'

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunnies at the White House

Johnson responded Monday by highlighting the White House proclamation that President Joe Biden sent out Sunday where the president did 'hereby proclaim' March 31, 2024 as Transgender Day of Visibility 

March 31 has been designated as the day to honor the transgender movement internationally since 2009. 

This year, March 31 also happened to be Easter Sunday. 

The president, asked to respond to Johnson's criticism, said: 'He's thoroughly uninformed.'

Later, in a post on X, Johnson hit back by highlighting the White House proclamation where Biden did 'hereby proclaim' March 31, 2024 as Transgender Day of Visibility. 

'This you, @JoeBiden?' Johnson wrote.

Later, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she was 'so surprised by the misinformation that's been out there around this' and that the White House was 'confused' by the outcry. 

'And I want to be very clear, every year for the past several years on March 31 Transgender Day of Visibility is marked. And, as we know, for folks who understand the calendar and how it works - Easter falls on different Sundays,' Jean-Pierre said. 

'And this year it happened to coincide with transgender visibility day. And so that's a simple fact. That is what has happened. That is where we are,' the press secretary continued. 

The White House doubled down on its backing of Biden's statement. 

'President Biden is right. He did nothing in conflict with the 'tenets' of Easter, which he celebrated yesterday,' spokesman Andrew Bates told DailyMail.com. 

'Nor did he choose the date of March 31 for Transgender Day of Visibility, which has been set since 2009 – including in 2020 and 2021 when FOX itself commemorated Transgender Day of Visibility itself.' 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out that Transgender Day of Visibility has been marked on March 31 for a number of years, while Easter Sunday changes date every calendar year 

She remarked on the controversy at Monday's briefing, which was also attended by the White House's Easter Bunny (right) 

Reporters pass around Easter candy during Monday's press briefing where Jean-Pierre addressed conservative outcry over Transgender Day of Visibility being marked on Easter Sunday 

Jean-Pierre called the conservative outrage 'a lot of misinformation done on purpose.' 

'And as a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,' she said. 'Now sadly, and it's not surprising, right? It's actually unsurprising that politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric.' 

'It is dishonest what we heard the past 24 hours, it is untrue what we heard over the weekend,' Jean-Pierre said. 

She also pointed out that the conservative-leaning Fox network previously marked the day, quoting a tweet from the network from 2021. 

'President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes,' Jean-Pierre continued. 'Or for profit.' 

Trump has been selling $60 Bibles in a partnership with singer Lee Greenwood, whose God Bless the USA the ex-president plays at his entrance music at all his rallies.  

'That is not what this administration is about. That is not what being a leader is about. And this misinformation out there is just - it's bad - and it is cause to divide us,' Jean-Pierre said. 

President Joe Biden blows the starting whistle as Jill Biden cheers on the kids at the Egg race

Hunter Biden talks to the crowd on the South Lawn

The president and first lady Jill Biden kicked off a rainy Easter Egg Roll on Monday after the weekend's storm of controversy.

Hunter Biden joined his parents on the South Lawn, shaking hands and chatting with people in the drizzling rain.

The Bidens focused on the traditional activities of the egg race. Both the president and first lady took turns blowing the starting whistle and President Biden helped one little girl roll her egg.

The first lady read Brown Bear Brown Bear What do you see to a group of children as the rain continued to fall, beating down steadily on parents, presidents and officials alike. 

The first family, however, didn't let the either the political storms nor the damp weather spoil the Easter Egg Roll, an annual tradition that began in 1878.

President Joe Biden helds a youngster roll an egg

Jill Biden reads Brown Bear Brown Bear What do you see?

Some 40,000 people are expected to participate in 'EGG-ucation'-themed event, about 10,000 more than last year. 

'Folks, welcome to what's expected to be the biggest White House Easter Egg Roll ever,' Biden proclaimed.  

Miniature hot air balloons labeled Engineering, Science, Technology, and Art decorated the South Portico area.

Jill Biden, a longtime teacher, added education components to the celebration, including stations for children to learn about farming, healthier eating, exercise and more.

Children can also write notes to U.S. troops and first responders with Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit organization.

The Easter holiday got off to a rough start for the administration when conservatives opened fire on the president for honoring the Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday.

It was created by Rachel Crandall-Crocker, the executive director of advocacy group Transgender Michigan.

The holiday is 'a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces,' according to media monitoring nonprofit GLAAD.

Biden released a statement on Saturday to mark the occasion: 'On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation's commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,' it read.

'Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back.'

Biden was the first American president to issue a formal proclamation recognizing the event in 2021.

President Joe Biden talks to a guest at the Easter Egg Roll

President Joe Biden, center left, and Vice President Kamala Harris, center right, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, left, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, right, wave at the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn 

The theme of this year's Easter Egg Roll was 'Egg-ucation'

Conservatives were outraged, led by Trump, Biden's rival in the 2024 presidential race.

Trump's national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt lambasted the proclamation as 'appalling and insulting.'

She claimed the announcement was evidence of the Biden administration's 'years-long assault on the Christian faith.'

And House Speaker Mike Johnson called the proclamation 'abhorrent.'

'The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter - which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Banning sacred truth and tradition - while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as 'Transgender Day' - is outrageous and abhorrent,' he said.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates slammed back, saying: 'As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American.'

'Sadly, it's unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.'

And the eggs for Monday's event caused a controversy of their own.

The first lady invited the children of military families to send decorated eggs to the White House to be on display during the Egg Roll. 

The invitation called for children from families of the National Guard to submit artwork that would be painted on eggs, but banned 'any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.'

Speaker Mike Johnson said calling Easter Sunday 'Transgender Day' was 'outrageous and abhorrent'

In response to the criticism, Jill Biden spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander noted the language in the invitation was standard and that it was used for several administrations, including Trump.

'*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,' she wrote on X.