When Donald Trump supporters asked him to sign their baseball caps at the White House Easter Egg Roll, they might not have anticipated his reaction.

Video footage shows a child reaching out to the President as he walks past with his security entourage.

"Will you sign my hat?" the child calls out.

Mr Trump takes it, signs it with a marker, and tosses it into the crowd, rather than hand it straight back to the child.

"No!" the child calls out.

But it's too late - the signed memento of the White House annual tradition and a once-in-a-lifetime chance of meeting the Republican had been tossed into the wind.

"Here you go, kids, here," Mr Trump says, throwing it back into the crowd.

The gaffe came shortly after the President gave a speech beside a person dressed as the Easter Bunny, telling a crowd of children that "we will be stronger and bigger as a nation than ever before".

The annual event, which started in the 19th century, was an opportunity for First Lady Melania Trump to host a high-profile event.

She stood beside her husband and her son, Barron Trump, to sing the national anthem.

Mr Trump's team was expected to hand out 18,000 wooden eggs to around 20,000 people, compared to his predecessor Barack Obama who welcomed 37,000 guests and handed out 85,000 eggs.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer posed for pictures beside the Easter Bunny on the White House lawn. He wore the outfit himself in 2008 during the George W Bush administration.