Trump to Attend White House Correspondents’ Dinner
President Donald Trump has announced he will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this Saturday, marking his first appearance at the event as president. The decision follows his previous boycotts and comes amid tensions with the press. The dinner will feature mentalist Oz Pearlman as entertainment, replacing traditional comedy acts.
The Free PressPresident Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday in Washington, D.C., accompanied by first lady Melania Trump. This marks his first attendance at the annual event as president, after declining invitations during his first term and in 2025.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) extends an invitation to the sitting president each year, a tradition dating back to Calvin Coolidge in 1924. ” The WHCA did not make such statements.
The dinner, held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, typically includes journalists, administration officials, and guests. This year’s entertainer is mentalist Oz Pearlman, announced by the WHCA in late February. Pearlman’s act is apolitical, differing from past comedy roasts.
WHCA president Weijia Jiang of CBS News declined to comment on the selection. The administration also defunded NPR and PBS, altered Voice of America operations, and removed mainstream journalists from the Pentagon. Shortly after taking office in 2025, the administration assumed control of the White House press pool, previously managed by the WHCA.
The association objected, but the White House proceeded. A letter signed by more than 250 journalists urged the WHCA to issue a forceful defense of press freedom from the podium and condemn threats to it, followed by a standing toast to the First Amendment.
In 2020, discussions occurred about his potential attendance, but the event was canceled due to the pandemic. ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, then WHCA president, recounted a meeting where Trump inquired about being funny and suggested replacing comedian Hasan Minhaj, which Karl declined.
As a guest in 2011, Trump attended while President Obama and comedian Seth Meyers directed jokes at him. In 2018, Michelle Wolf’s routine prompted some walkouts. The WHCA hired historian Ron Chernow in 2019 to avoid controversy. Former WHCA president George Condon stated that in his second term, Trump aims to “own” organizations that opposed or embarrassed him previously.
