Watch: ‘The show must go on,’ Trump says at second White House Correspondents’ Dinner
US President Donald Trump lashed out at the media at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner, an evening celebrating press freedom after the first event was canceled by a shooting three months ago.
The president sat as journalists from media outlets he had fought and even sued, including the New York Times, CNN and the Wall Street Journal, came to receive awards.
The outgoing WHCA president said she would “refuse to let an act of violence have the last word,” referring to the shooter tackled at the first April dinner.
But the tone changed when Trump launched barbs against “fake news” and accused many journalists in the room of having “Trump derangement syndrome.”
In her remarks, WHCA President Weijia Jiang of CBS News said the event will return to the scene of the April shooting, at the Washington Hilton, next year.
The officer shot at the scene, U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzalez, received an award from Trump for his actions on the night of filming.
Trump stood and shook hands with honorees, including a Wall Street Journal team that received an award for its coverage of Trump’s ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Before the event, many members of the White House press corps had speculated that Trump — who often criticizes many reporters seated just feet away from him in the room — would deliver a stern rebuke to the media.
Trump laughs at dinner, alongside WHCA President Weijia Jiang
In his remarks, Trump was at times cordial and conciliatory, saying “the second time is always better,” joking and praising the media – saying he respects “most of them.”
“As I said three months ago, the show must go on,” Trump said.
But pointed insults were also directed at several journalists, some of whom were present in the room. The harsher tone and personal attacks extended to Democratic politicians and celebrities as his hour-long speech took aim at familiar targets.
The US president also called on Americans to respect freedom of expression.
“We resolve our differences not with bullets, but through open and vigorous debate,” Trump said. “And no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that. We can’t allow that to happen.”
Trump appeared in good spirits throughout the event, jokingly telling the media that “sometimes I really think some of you don’t like me.”
“This place [the dinner] “This is truly the largest group of people with Trump Derangement Syndrome ever assembled at one time,” he said. “I suspect some of you are lucky that our last dinner was cut short…I was going to sue you.”
The president joked that the news industry would be “broke” once he was out of office because “there won’t be anyone to report on,” before putting on a Trump 2028 hat and saying he would run for another term.
Watch: Trump tries press dinner again after April shooting interruption
The gala dinner took place as relations between the White House and the media remain tense.
Last week, Trump threatened to revoke the licenses of several U.S. networks that did not air his speech on election security during prime time.
The event has been significantly reduced by the first correspondents’ dinnerwith around 700 people in attendance, compared to more than 2,000 in April.
Security was also tighter. Several blocks around the hotel were blocked off, with a heavy presence of police and National Guardsmen. Guests were screened twice, with QR codes and IDs, and given wristbands.
At one point, visitors were asked to walk single file past two Secret Service agents holding rifles.
The suspect in the April shooting, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31 years oldwas accused of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States.
He was approached by officers just off a staircase that led to a ballroom where dinner was beginning.
Others in attendance Saturday evening included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
