A night of mixed tones
US President Donald Trump poked fun at the press during the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, July 24. The event, originally set for April at the Washington Hilton, was cancelled after a shooting. Trump, who had boycotted the dinner during his first term, made his first presidential appearance. He struck a cordial and conciliatory tone initially, saying "the second time is always better" and joking that he respects "most of" the media. However, the speech later turned critical as he accused many journalists of having "Trump Derangement Syndrome" and labeled outlets as "fake news". He also said he had planned an even harsher speech for the original event, telling the crowd: "I was so psyched, I was going to rip people."[S1][S2][S3][S4]
WHCA President Weijia Jiang of CBS News opened the evening by declaring: "We refuse to let an act of violence have the final word." She confirmed that next year's dinner will return to the Washington Hilton, the site of the April shooting. Trump himself called for unity, stating: "We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate. And no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that." The remarks drew applause from the ballroom.[S1][S2]
Awards and press freedom
During the dinner, Trump sat through more than an hour of awards presentations, including honors for journalists from outlets he has sued or criticized, such as the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. A Wall Street Journal team received an award for its coverage of Trump's links to financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump stood and shook hands with the winners. A Washington Post team was honored with the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability for their reporting on a lewd sketch signed by Trump that was included in a birthday compilation for Epstein. The president laughed and shrugged when it was noted he had sued the outlet over the story.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
Trump spoke about the importance of press freedom, saying: "I hope all of you know that I believe in the free press more than anyone in this room does." He also highlighted his record of engaging with reporters, claiming that when he speaks to the press, he has "a shot at getting a good story." Press freedom advocates, however, have criticized his administration for lawsuits against media organizations and restrictions on access. The president rejects such criticism, arguing his actions promote accountability.[S3][S4]
Heightened security and April shooting
Security at the dinner was significantly tighter than usual. Several blocks around the Waldorf Astoria hotel were blocked off, with a heavy presence of police and National Guard. Guests were screened twice, required to show QR codes and IDs, and given wristbands. At one point, visitors walked single file past two Secret Service officers carrying rifles. The event was scaled down to about 700 attendees, compared with more than 2,000 in April. The April shooting suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. He was tackled by Secret Service agents just short of the ballroom staircase.[S1][S2][S4]
The officer shot during the April incident, Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez, was presented with an award by Trump for his actions. Trump also joked about the heightened security, saying he knew it was "not easy finding shoes to go along with your bulletproof vest." He added that "many people didn't want to wear them because they'd rather die than look 20 pounds heavier."[S2][S4][S5]
Jokes about a fourth term
Towards the end of his hour-long speech, Trump made a surprise announcement: "I'm pleased to announce my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States." He then donned a red "Trump 2028" cap. The comment was a joke, referencing his repeated hints about seeking a third term. The U.S. Constitution's 22nd Amendment prohibits anyone from serving more than two terms. Trump also took jabs at his secretary of health and human services, RFK Jr., joking that he "personally ran over the cow" for the beef tenderloin and suggested an appetizer featuring "male raccoon roadkill."[S5]
