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Trump to attend White House Correspondents' Dinner for first time as president
President Donald Trump is set to attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday, marking his first time at the event as president. The invitation comes amid a history of clashes with the press, lawsuits, investigations, and a high-profile public rift with media outlets, drawing both anticipation and criticism in Washington.
Why It Matters
Trump's attendance signals a rare moment of direct engagement with the press amid ongoing disputes over press freedom, lawsuits, and investigations. The dinner will be watched for the tone of his remarks and the event's broader symbolism regarding the relationship between the administration and the media.
Timeline
10 Events
Trump to speak after 10 pm ET
April 25, 2026
Trump is scheduled to speak for about 40 minutes after 10:00 p.m. ET at the Washington Hilton.
Red carpet arrivals begin at 5 pm ET
April 25, 2026
The dinner's red carpet arrivals begin at 5:00 p.m. ET at the Washington Hilton.
WHCA defends dinner; press freedom message amplified
April 25, 2026
WHCA President Weijia Jiang stated that the dinner reinforces press freedom: 'Not for the media or the president, but for the people who depend on it.'
HuffPost column explains skip of the dinner
April 2026
HuffPost Editor-in-Chief Whitney Snyder wrote a column explaining the outlet's decision to skip the dinner.
Journalists' letter urging opposition to Trump press attacks
April 2026
Over 350 journalists and groups signed a letter calling the WHCA to use the dinner to forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump's efforts to trample freedom of the press.
WSJ defamation lawsuit dismissed
April 2026
Earlier this month, a federal judge dismissed the defamation lawsuit Trump filed against the Wall Street Journal over a birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein bearing his signature.
FBI investigation into NYT reporter referenced in article
April 2026
The FBI began investigating a New York Times reporter after she wrote a critical story about its director; the FBI said the Times story is not true.
Trump confirms attendance via Truth Social post
March 2, 2026
In a Truth Social post on March 2, Trump said he accepted the WHCA's invitation, praising himself and signaling a change for this year.
Trump boycotted WHCA Dinner in 2025
2025
Trump did not attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2025.
Trump boycotted WHCA Dinner during his first term
2017
Trump did not attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner during his first term.