Summary
- United States President Donald Trump will address the White House Correspondents’ Association at a rescheduled gala on Friday, nearly three months after a shooting outside the Washington Hilton forced the cancellation of the April event.
- The black-tie dinner, now relocated to the Waldorf Astoria hotel, will take place under heightened security.
- WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the gala would send a clear message: “Violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”We welcome your contributions!
United States President Donald Trump will address the White House Correspondents’ Association at a rescheduled gala on Friday, nearly three months after a shooting outside the Washington Hilton forced the cancellation of the April event.
The black-tie dinner, now relocated to the Waldorf Astoria hotel, will take place under heightened security. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said an advance team had implemented a comprehensive plan, acknowledging the risk of hostile actors but stressing that the agency was treating the venue with the same rigor as any presidential site.
The April 25 incident occurred as Trump and his cabinet were arriving. A man armed with a shotgun attempted to breach a security checkpoint and opened fire. Secret Service officer Victor Gonzales, credited with stopping the attack, was shot but survived thanks to his protective vest. Gonzales will be honored at Friday’s dinner, along with Hilton staff who assisted guests during the chaos. The suspect, Cole Allen, has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted assassination of the president.
Trump has argued the attack underscored the need for a $400 million ballroom under construction at the White House, saying future events held there would enhance presidential security.
The correspondents’ dinner, a century-old Washington tradition, raises funds for journalism scholarships and celebrates the First Amendment. Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks, with entertainment provided by mentalist Oz Pearlman.
This year’s event carries added weight. Trump has frequently clashed with the press, denouncing coverage as “fake news,” restricting access for outlets such as the Associated Press, and threatening to revoke broadcast licenses. Yet he has also given reporters more direct access than recent presidents, often taking questions in unscripted settings.
Several journalism organizations have urged the WHCA to use the dinner to condemn what they describe as Trump’s attacks on press freedom. WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the gala would send a clear message: “Violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”
