Expect the unexpected for Trump’s first White House Correspondents’ Dinner as president
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump is attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time as president, amid controversy due to his frequent attacks on the press and the association's decision to invite him.
- The event will feature Trump’s speech, expected to be "entertaining" but possibly critical of news outlets, and a mentalist performance by Oz Pearlman, chosen instead of a comedian to avoid backlash.
- The dinner will honor journalists with awards after Trump’s speech, including recipients like The Wall Street Journal for investigative reporting that Trump has legally challenged.
- Trump’s contentious relationship with the press includes lawsuits, defunding public media, and government actions perceived as restricting press freedom, leading some journalists to boycott the dinner.
- Despite criticism and division within the journalism community, the dinner is sold out, highlighting the resilience and diversity of the American press amid global threats to press freedom.
