Trump won't attend correspondents dinner, sparing him a likely roasting
Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, calls to boycott the annual event have grown louder amid his increasingly fraught relationship with the press
The annual fundraiser for college scholarships and venue for reporting awards mixes politicians, journalists and celebrities and is typically attended by the president and first lady.
Remarks by a comedian, often roasting the president, and a humorous address by the president himself, often roasting the press and political opponents, have highlighted the event, which C-SPAN has carried live.
In a tweet Saturday, Trump wrote: “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!” He gave no reason for not attending.
In a statement following Trump’s tweet, White House Correspondents’ Association President Jeff Mason said: “The WHCA takes note of President Donald Trump’s announcement on Twitter that he does not plan to attend the dinner, which has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic.”