President Donald Trump mixed self-deprecating humor with pointed attacks on journalists, political opponents and celebrities during a lengthy speech Friday at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The black-tie gathering, held under heightened security at the Waldorf Astoria, marked Trump’s first appearance as president at the annual dinner. He declined to attend during his earlier years in office but said he expected to return next year.
The dinner had originally been scheduled for April 25 at the Washington Hilton but was postponed after a man allegedly attempted to force his way through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the ballroom as Trump and members of his Cabinet arrived, explained Reuters.
The suspect, Cole Allen, has pleaded not guilty to charges that include attempting to assassinate the president. Friday’s program also honored Secret Service officer Victor Gonzales, who was shot while wearing a protective vest and was credited with helping stop the attack, as well as hotel employees who assisted guests.
Trump opened with the lighter tone traditionally associated with the dinner but soon moved into familiar criticism of the press and his political adversaries. His remarks lasted more than an hour and repeatedly returned to themes from his rallies, including his administration’s record on Iran and crime in Washington.
“I hope all of you know that I believe in the free press more than anyone in this room does — maybe not quite. That’s why I’m proud to be the most open and transparent president in history,” Trump said. “They call me that.”
Trump pointed to the access he has given reporters through frequent question-and-answer sessions and telephone interviews.
“I always find that when you don’t speak to the press, you always get a bad story,” Trump said. “When you do speak to the press, you have a shot at getting a good story.”
Not every prepared joke drew the response Trump appeared to expect. At one point, he asked the audience, “Does anybody understand this?”
After another line received a muted reaction, Trump said, “That was actually the only thing I thought was good in this whole freaking stupid speech.”
Trump also addressed the violence that forced the dinner’s postponement, echoing other speakers who emphasized that political intimidation would not disrupt the event.
“We do not yield to political violence … No deranged loser with a gun will ever change that,” Trump said.
The dinner, a longstanding fixture on Washington’s social calendar, raises money for journalism scholarships and recognizes reporters for their work. Ahead of the gathering, several hundred veteran journalists and eight professional journalism organizations signed a letter urging the association to confront what they described as threats by the Trump administration to First Amendment protections.
Several tense moments came as Trump shook hands with journalists receiving awards for reporting on his administration. During his speech, he also singled out journalists Don Lemon and Lawrence O’Donnell, politicians Chris Christie and Adam Schiff, and entertainers Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda.
Trump briefly turned the humor on himself, acknowledging his own weight after joking about the appearances of others.
He closed the evening with a characteristically mixed review of the event.
“It’s been an interesting evening. I really didn’t know what to expect,” Trump said. “And it’s far worse than I actually thought.”
[READ MORE:
