Trump to attend delayed White House Correspondents’ Dinner after shooting | Donald Trump News
White House Correspondents’ Dinner Rescheduled After Security Incident
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an annual event uniting politicians and journalists, has been moved to July 24 following a security incident on its original date of April 25.
The dinner was disrupted when a man identified as Thomas Cole Allen attempted to breach a security checkpoint at the venue, reportedly aiming to attack attendees. The incident resulted in an exchange of gunfire, injuring both Allen and a security officer, although neither sustained serious injuries. A bullet became lodged in the officer’s bulletproof vest.
Those in attendance, including President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, were evacuated by the Secret Service, leading to the cancellation of the function.
On Tuesday, Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and a CBS News reporter, confirmed the new date for the event. “We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for,” Jiang stated.
President Trump echoed Jiang’s sentiment on social media, characterizing the rescheduling as “a sign of Strength and Fortitude.” He remarked, “This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” and confirmed his acceptance of the invitation.
Trump further indicated he was contemplating whether to deliver remarks similar to those he had prepared for the canceled April dinner, which were expected to include criticism of the press. “I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out,” he said.
The dinner has historically been a contentious affair for Trump, who has had a fraught relationship with the media. In 2011, he was the subject of jokes by then-President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers during a previous dinner, which coincided with Trump’s emergence as a presidential candidate.
After launching a successful presidential bid in 2015, Trump did not attend the dinner again until this year.
In a statement about his upcoming appearance, Trump revisited his grievances with the media, declaring his attendance would make the event “the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”
This year’s dinner will not feature a comedian, continuing a shift from tradition that began in 1983. Instead, mentalist Oz Pearlman is slated to perform.
Since the attempted attack in April, Trump has advocated for the construction of a ballroom at the White House for events, underscoring security concerns. Press freedom organizations have expressed worry that the dinner could provide a platform for Trump to criticize journalists, with some warning against normalizing such rhetoric.
The upcoming dinner is scheduled to take place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., a property previously owned and developed by Trump.
