United States President, Donald Trump, used the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner to criticise sections of the media while also defending press freedom at an event held months after the inaugural dinner was cut short by a shooting incident.
The annual gathering honoured journalists from several news organisations, including outlets Trump has repeatedly clashed with and even sued, such as The New York Times, CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
Opening the event, outgoing WHCA President Weijia Jiang of CBS News said the association would not allow the April attack to define the occasion.
She declared that the organisation would “refuse to let an act of violence have the final word”, adding that the correspondents’ dinner would return to the Washington Hilton next year, the venue where the shooting occurred.
President Trump later presented an award to US Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez, who was recognised for his actions during the attack.
He also congratulated other award recipients, including a Wall Street Journal team honoured for its reporting on Trump’s links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Although many members of the White House press corps had expected the president to launch a blistering attack on the media, Trump struck a mixed tone during his hour-long address.
At several points, he praised journalists and acknowledged their role, saying he respects “most of them”.
“As I said three months ago, the show must go on,” Trump said.
He also urged Americans to uphold freedom of expression.
“We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate,” Trump said. “And no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that. We can’t let that ever happen.”
However, the president also revived his criticism of the press, accusing many journalists present of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.
“This place [the dinner] is really the largest group of ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ people ever put together at one time,” he said. “I suspect some of you are lucky that our last dinner was cut short…I was going to go after you.”
Trump joked that some journalists simply disliked him.
“Sometimes I really do think that some of you don’t like me,” he said.
He further quipped that news organisations would struggle once he leaves office because “there’s not going to be anybody to report on”, before putting on a “Trump 2028” cap and joking about seeking another presidential term.
The event took place against the backdrop of continuing tensions between the White House and the media.
Only last week, Trump threatened to revoke the licences of several US television networks that declined to air his primetime address on election security.
Attendance at this year’s dinner was significantly lower than at the first event in April. About 700 guests attended, compared with more than 2,000 previously.
Security was also noticeably tighter. Roads surrounding the hotel were closed, while police, National Guard personnel and Secret Service agents maintained a heavy presence.
Guests underwent multiple security checks, including identity verification, QR code screening and wristband accreditation, before entering the venue.
The April shooting suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States after he was overpowered by security agents near a staircase leading to the ballroom where the dinner was beginning.
Senior administration officials in attendance included Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
