After years of skipping the White House Correspondents Dinner and treating it like a bad rerun he had no interest in watching, President Trump has decided to make a return appearance, and he is doing it in classic Trump fashion.
The president announced on Truth Social that he has agreed to attend this year’s dinner in honor of America’s 250th Birthday. Yes, the same event he boycotted throughout his first term because, as he repeatedly said, the press was “extraordinarily bad” to him from day one.
In his statement, President Trump said the White House Correspondents Association asked him “very nicely” to serve as the honoree at this year’s dinner, a tradition that dates back to 1924 under President Calvin Coolidge. Then came the punchline.
“In honor of our Nation’s 250th Birthday, and the fact that these ‘Correspondents’ now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation,” he wrote. He added that he intends to make it the “GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”
That is not exactly the tone the press corps is used to from its usual guest of honor.
President Trump last attended the dinner in 2011, when he was a private citizen. That was the night when then-President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers took turns mocking him. Meyers quipped, “Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising because I just assumed he was running as a joke.” Several commentators later suggested that evening helped push Trump toward his 2015 campaign announcement.
Since taking office, President Trump avoided the dinner altogether, choosing instead to hold rallies or skip the event entirely. The dinner itself has long been known for pointed jokes and a heavy dose of liberal humor, often aimed squarely at Republican presidents.
Last year’s event broke with tradition after the association canceled comedian Amber Ruffin’s appearance following criticism from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich. Then-WHCA President Eugene Daniels said the move was part of stepping away from “the politics of division.”
This year’s dinner is scheduled for April 25 at the Washington Hilton, with mentalist Oz Pearlman slated as host. WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the group is happy the president accepted the invitation, describing the event as a celebration of the First Amendment and journalism.
Whether it turns into a night of unity, sharp humor, or something entirely unpredictable, one thing is certain. When President Trump walks into that ballroom, it will not be a low energy affair.
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