Trump leverages rescheduled correspondents’ dinner to critique media while reaffirming press freedom
The second annual dinner, held at the Waldorf Astoria with reduced attendance, saw Trump award Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez and hint at a 2028 presidential bid, while WHCA President Weijia Jiang declared the association’s resilience.
US President Donald Trump addressed the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, utilising the platform to criticise the media while simultaneously affirming the importance of free speech. The event marked the second annual gathering, following the cancellation of the inaugural dinner in April due to a shooting incident. Trump, who sat among reporters from outlets he has previously sparred with, including the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal, delivered an hour-long speech that oscillated between conciliatory remarks and sharp accusations.
Trump accused many journalists in attendance of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and referred to the press as “fake news.” He joked that the news industry would “be broke” without him to report on and suggested that some attendees were “lucky that our last dinner was cut short.” Despite these barbs, Trump also stated he respected “most of them” and emphasised that differences should be settled through “open and vigorous debate” rather than violence. He called on Americans to respect freedom of speech, asserting that “no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that.”
The dinner served as a venue for recognising security personnel and journalistic achievements. Trump presented an award to US Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez for his actions during the April shooting, where Gonzalez tackled the suspect. A Wall Street Journal team also received an award for their coverage of Trump’s links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump stood and shook hands with the award winners, appearing in a good mood throughout the event, though he also directed harsher tones toward Democratic politicians and celebrities.
Security measures were significantly heightened for the rescheduled event, which was moved from the Washington Hilton to the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Attendance was scaled down to approximately 700 people, compared to more than 2,000 at the original event. Guests underwent double screening, including QR code checks and ID verification, and were issued wristbands. Several blocks around the hotel were blocked off, with a heavy presence of police and National Guard personnel. Visitors were prompted to walk in single file past armed Secret Service officers.
WHCA President Weijia Jiang, who is also a reporter for CBS News, addressed the dinner to declare the association’s resilience. She stated, “We are back. We will not be intimidated. We refuse to let an act of violence have the final word.” Jiang announced that the association would return to the Washington Hilton for the next year’s dinner. Trump attended the event alongside senior cabinet members, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The gala occurred against a backdrop of strained relations between the White House and the media. Last week, Trump threatened to revoke the licences of several US networks for not carrying his primetime speech about election security. The suspect in the April shooting, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. During his speech, Trump also hinted at a potential 2028 presidential bid, donning a “Trump 2028” hat and joking about running for another term.
