Trump’s White House Correspondents’ Association’s (WHCA) Dinner Speech Targets Press, Democrats and Former President

At the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday evening, President Donald J. Trump opened by praising the law-enforcement officers who foiled an alleged assassination attempt at the association’s April event. He then turned to personal attacks on several journalists present, singling out Kaitlan Collins of CNN, Jake Tapper of CNN, and Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal. Trump repeated a prior remark that Collins “never smiles,” recalling a question he asked her earlier in the year about justice for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. The president also mocked Democratic figures including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A jibe at former President Joe Biden referenced a White House lawn UFC fight the president hosted earlier in the summer. The speech concluded with a self-referential joke about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., followed by a brief appearance of a “Trump 2028” hat.

The Hill

The dinner took place months after a gunman allegedly attempted to attack Trump at the WHCA event in April, an incident that heightened security concerns and underscored tensions between the president and the press. Throughout his term, Trump has repeatedly labeled mainstream outlets “fake news” and pursued a defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its reporting on a purported birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Hill

WHCA President and CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang opened the evening with remarks emphasizing the need for an independent press, noting a crucial distinction between legitimate criticism and attempts to undermine journalism.

The Hill

• “I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloins, very special beef, and I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who’s right here, personally ran over the cow in his car, and he cut it up and he brought it here for you to eat tonight, so it’s very fresh,” — Jeffrey Epstein. The Trump, insulted former president

The Hill

• “There is a difference, though, an existential difference between criticizing the press and trying to undermine it,” — Weijia Jiang, white house correspondent

The Hill

• “But for all of the trouble that you give me — you give me a lot of trouble, a lot of heartache — I hope all of you know that I believe in the free press more than anyone in this room does,” — Jeffrey Epstein. The Trump, insulted former president

The Hill

Audience reaction was mixed; several jokes fell flat, prompting Trump to ask, “Does anybody get that?” He later described one line as “the only good one” in a speech he called “freaking stupid.” The president’s closing remarks blended humor with a pointed appeal to press freedom, leaving observers to assess the impact of his combative tone on the traditionally convivial WHCA gathering.

The Hill