Trump’s WHCA Dinner Jokes Fall Flat as He Targets Journalists and Political Rivals/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump returned to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with an hourlong speech targeting journalists, political opponents and media companies. Many jokes drew little reaction, while attendees reportedly talked among themselves, checked their phones or left the ballroom during the address. The event also highlighted press freedom as journalists defended their work and honored reporting conducted despite legal and political pressure.
Quick Look
- Trump attended the WHCA dinner after years of boycotting the annual event.
- The rescheduled gathering was held at Washington’s Waldorf Astoria.
- His speech mixed media criticism, political attacks and jokes that frequently received muted reactions.
- Trump praised the Secret Service and condemned political violence.
- He singled out CNN journalists and praised selected media executives.
- CNN CEO Mark Thompson defended the network’s journalism and constitutional protections.
- Trump wore a “Trump 2028” hat but said he was joking about seeking another term.
- The Wall Street Journal received an award for its reporting on Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
- WHCA President Weijia Jiang directly defended the First Amendment before introducing Trump.
Deep Look
Trump Returns to the Correspondents’ Dinner
WASHINGTON CNN- President Donald Trump delivered a sprawling, hourlong address at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Friday, using the appearance to criticize journalists, revisit familiar political attacks and joke about media executives and opponents.
According to CNN media analyst Brian Stelter, many of Trump’s jokes fell flat with the black-tie audience. Trump appeared aware that some of his material was failing and occasionally criticized or questioned the lines he had been given.
“Does anyone understand this stuff?” Trump asked at one point.
The speech included personal insults, familiar nicknames for political opponents and repeated jokes about people’s weight. Some remarks were confrontational, but attendees described much of the performance as lengthy and low-energy.
Audience Offers a Muted Response
The dinner audience remained largely quiet during lines that appeared better suited to one of Trump’s political rallies.
Journalists inside the ballroom reported that some attendees checked their phones, talked among themselves, ate dessert, visited the lobby or left their seats during the speech.
“The person at the table next to me has just poured himself a comically large glass of wine,” CNN’s Betsy Klein observed nearly an hour into Trump’s remarks.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes said a Republican source attending the dinner told her, “Whoever wrote this speech should be fired.”
Trump nevertheless argued that his political prominence remained essential to news organizations.
“When I’m gone, you’re all going to be broke,” he told the audience.
“Nobody gives a damn about anybody else,” Trump added before discussing the number of stories about him appearing on The New York Times’ front page.
Some of Trump’s comments were expected to circulate more successfully among his supporters online. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale predicted that “the silence in the room will be portrayed by the president’s allies as evidence he roasted the ‘fake news’ so bad they were stunned into submission.”
Rescheduled Dinner Follows April Security Scare
Friday’s gathering was a smaller version of the annual dinner originally scheduled for April 26. That event was postponed after a gunman attempted to breach a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, forcing an evacuation.
The rescheduled dinner was held at the Waldorf Astoria, which Trump previously operated as his namesake Washington hotel. The building had also served as a prominent gathering place for officials and supporters during his first administration.
“See those beautiful chandeliers? I can tell you everything about them,” Trump told attendees.
Trump also praised the Secret Service and offered remarks condemning political violence.
“In this country, we believe in freedom of speech,” he said. “We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate. And no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that.”
He followed the statement with a joke about guests wearing protective vests beneath their formal clothing, “which many people didn’t want to wear because they’d rather die than look 20 pounds heavier.”
Trump Targets CNN Journalists
Trump named and criticized several CNN journalists during the speech, prompting a response from the network’s chief executive, Mark Thompson.
“We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fairmindedness with which the CNN team reports the news,” Thompson said. “Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the US Constitution. CNN will continue to exercise this right.”
The exchange reflected the longstanding tension between Trump and news organizations whose reporting he considers unfavorable.
Trump’s remarks also demonstrated his close attention to the media industry and to the executives who control major news and entertainment companies.
Trump Praises the Ellisons and Discusses CBS
Trump offered favorable comments about Larry and David Ellison, who took control of Paramount in 2025 and are seeking to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company.
Paramount encountered a significant obstacle Friday when it agreed to a delay of several months in the merger process while legal challenges are addressed.
Referring to Paramount-owned CBS News, Trump said David Ellison is “going to make, I think, fantastic changes and keep some of the great stuff going.”
Trump also delivered a joke about Bari Weiss, Ellison’s chosen editor-in-chief of CBS News, and changes made under her leadership.
“Under my administration, a once-feared and powerful regime that relentlessly attacked America has finally been toppled. Their former leaders have been removed, and they’re now being run by a gay dictator facing internal divisions. But I, for one, wish Bari Weiss all the best at CBS News. She’s a wonderful woman.”
“Trump 2028” Hat Revives Third-Term Talk
Near the conclusion of his speech, Trump put on a red “Trump 2028” hatreviving a theme he has repeatedly used to provoke opponents and generate political attention.
The Constitution bars a president from being elected to a third term. Trump said during the dinner that his suggestions about running again were jokes.
While discussing his addition of a ballroom to the White House, Trump remarked that “I’m only going to be using it for about six months” before leaving office.
The comment represented a relatively unusual public acknowledgment that his second term has a fixed end date.
Journalists Honored for Epstein Reporting
One of the evening’s most closely watched moments came during the WHCA’s journalism awards.
Trump remained seated while a team from The Wall Street Journal received an award for “courage and accountability.” The honor recognized the team’s investigation of an alleged lewd birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name.
Trump has sued the Journal’s parent company for $20 billion over the reporting.
“Trump quickly filed a $20 billion lawsuit against the Journal, revealing reporter Khadeeja Safdar’s home address,” CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said while presenting the award.
Trump laughed and raised his hands in response.
“Her family had to be relocated,” Blitzer continued. “The Journal was kicked off of Air Force One, but the reporters continued to file revelatory stories.”
Trump subsequently stood and shook hands with each of the journalists receiving the award. The litigation remains pending.
WHCA President Defends the First Amendment
Outgoing WHCA President Weijia Jiang introduced Trump after delivering a direct defense of press freedom while the president sat beside her.
Jiang distinguished between legitimate criticism of journalism and attempts to weaken the media’s ability to operate independently.
She said there is “an existential difference between criticizing the press and trying to undermine it. One is healthy, and it makes all of us better. The other is exactly what the founders hoped to prevent.”
The CBS News correspondent then addressed Trump directly.
“When we ask questions, you push back. You give us answers, and we push back. You have always been a deal guy. Well, that’s the deal. And the First Amendment is a done deal. And that’s what we toast tonight.”
Trump’s uneven reception ultimately reinforced the dinner’s central premise: Political leaders may attack or ridicule journalists, while journalists retain the constitutional freedom to scrutinize and criticize those leaders in return.
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