US President Donald Trump attacked the press during the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, mixing personal jabs with occasional praise for journalists and calls for Americans to protect free speech.
According to BBC, the event celebrated press freedom and recognised journalists from media organisations that Trump has repeatedly criticised or sued. They included The New York Times, CNN and The Wall Street Journal. The smaller gathering took place three months after a gunman disrupted the original dinner in April.
Trump sat through the award presentations before delivering an hour-long speech filled with jokes, political attacks and familiar criticism of the media. At different points, he described unfavourable coverage as “fake news” and accused many journalists in the room of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
However, the President also struck a more friendly tone during parts of his address. He praised some journalists, joked that the second event was better than the first and said he respected most members of the media.
“As I said three months ago, the show must go on,” Trump said as he welcomed the decision to reschedule the dinner.
Trump attacks the press but defends free speech
Trump told the gathering that political disagreements must be resolved through debate rather than violence. His comments referred to the April shooting that forced organisers to end the first dinner before completing the programme.
“We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate,” he said. “No deranged loser with a gun will ever change that.”
The outgoing WHCA President, Weijia Jiang of CBS News, said the association refused to allow the shooting to have the final word. She announced that the annual dinner would return to the Washington Hilton, where the attack occurred, the following year.
The April incident began when an armed suspect approached the venue as the original dinner was getting underway. Authorities later identified him as Cole Tomas Allen and charged him with attempting to assassinate the US president.
Secret Service officer honoured
The association honoured Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales, who confronted the gunman at a security checkpoint and suffered a gunshot impact to his protective vest. Trump stood and shook hands with Gonzales and other award recipients during the programme.
The WHCA also recognised the staff of the Washington Hilton for their actions during the attack. Jiang said Gonzales placed himself in danger and continued confronting the suspect until security personnel stopped him.
Journalists also received awards for major reports on Trump and his administration. Among them was a Wall Street Journal team recognised for reporting on the President’s links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump appeared displeased with some of the awards but still congratulated the winners. His attendance placed him metres away from reporters and media organisations he has frequently attacked.
Personal jokes draw mixed reaction
The tone of Trump’s speech shifted between friendly humour and direct insults aimed at journalists, Democratic politicians and celebrities. He joked that some reporters were fortunate the original dinner ended early because he had planned harsher material.
“This place is really the largest group of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ people ever put together at one time,” he said.
Trump also suggested that media organisations would struggle financially when he leaves office because they would no longer have him to cover. He later wore a “Trump 2028” cap and joked about seeking another term, despite the constitutional two-term limit.
The President remained in a cheerful mood for much of the event and told journalists that he sometimes suspected they did not like him. His remarks drew a mixture of laughter, applause and silence from the audience.
Tensions remain between Trump and US media
The dinner took place amid continuing tension between the White House and several American news organisations. Trump recently threatened the broadcast licences of networks that failed to carry his prime-time address on election security.
Press freedom groups had also urged the WHCA to challenge the administration over its treatment of journalists. They accused the White House of using legal action, subpoenas and regulatory threats to intimidate critical media outlets.
About 700 guests attended the rescheduled dinner, compared with more than 2,000 at the original event. Organisers introduced tighter security, identity checks and restricted movement around the venue.
Guests passed through several screening points before entering the ballroom. Police, National Guard personnel and heavily armed Secret Service officers also maintained a visible presence around the building.
Senior officials at the dinner included Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Despite Trump’s renewed attacks on the press, the evening allowed the association to complete the programme interrupted in April and recognise journalists, security personnel and hotel workers.
