US President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time during his presidency this Saturday, setting the stage for a potentially awkward evening. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), known for hosting the annual gathering of political press, has broken tradition by choosing mentalist and magician Oz Pearlman as the host this year instead of a comedian.
Since resuming office last year, the Trump administration has implemented various measures targeting the media, including selectively restricting access for news organizations that have clashed with his officials. Notably, the White House now dictates which reporters are included in the press “pool” with rotating access to the president.
Trump, expressing his discontent with the press, recently criticized them on his Truth Social platform, stating, “The Press was extraordinarily bad to me.” Despite his contentious relationship with the media, the WHCA’s decision to invite Trump has sparked controversy within newsrooms. Many journalists have collectively voiced their concerns by signing an open letter urging attendees to confront Trump about his press restrictions directly at the event.
In a departure from the practice observed by all other presidents over the last century, Trump has avoided attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while in office until now.