Former President Donald Trump has revealed his plans to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this year, marking a notable change after years of opting out of the event traditionally hosted by journalists.
In a message shared on Truth Social, Trump confirmed his attendance at the gathering, which draws both Washington insiders and Hollywood stars, set to take place in late April.
“In honor of our Nation’s 250th Birthday, and acknowledging that these ‘Correspondents’ now recognize me as one of the Greatest Presidents in the history of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, I am honored to accept their invitation and aim to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!” Trump declared.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a tradition dating back to the 1920s during President Calvin Coolidge’s administration, had seen Trump as the only president consistently abstaining from the event.
The dinner is organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association, an entity dedicated to supporting the White House press corps.
Trump explained his previous absences by stating, “Due to the Press being extraordinarily unfair to me, labeling everything as FAKE NEWS from the start of my First Term, I boycotted the event and never attended as Honoree. However, I look forward to joining everyone this year.”
‘Hopefully, it will be something very Special,’ Trump added. ‘Thank you for your attention to this matter!’
Before being sworn into office in 2017, Trump had attended the WHCD, or ‘nerd prom’ as it’s nicknamed, several times.
President Donald Trump, photographed earlier Monday in the East Room, announced Monday evening via Truth Social that he would attend this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner
President Barack Obama is pictured at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in which he mocked then businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump from onstage, a moment some in Trump’s inner circle say motivated the President to run for the White House in 2016
Most memorably, Trump played foil to President Barack Obama during the dinner in April 2011, which Obama attended while US Navy Seals were carrying out the Osama bin Laden raid.
Obama, who was the target of Trump’s ‘birther’ conspiracy theory at the time, which challenged the Democratic president’s legitimacy, let loose on the now President, mocking his flirtations with a White House bid.
He wondered aloud how Trump’s experience helming The Apprentice, might set him up for presidential success.
‘For example, on a recent episode of “Celebrity Apprentice,” at the steakhouse, the men’s cooking team did not impress the men from Omaha Steaks,’ Obama began.
‘And there was lots of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership,’ the Democrat continued. ‘And so ultimately you didn’t blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf, you fired Gary Busey.’
‘These are the kinds of decisions that keep me up at night. Well handled, sir, well handled,’ Obama joked.
Some Trump advisers later speculated that Obama’s taunts motivated him to run for president in 2016.
Trump returned to the WHCD in 2015, several months before he announced his first successful presidential bid.
Donald Trump is seen attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2015, several months before he declared his first successful run for the presidency. Since taking office, Trump has skipped the ‘nerd prom’ every year it’s been held
But once he entered office, Trump skipped the dinner every year it was held.
It was cancelled in 2020 – and during President Joe Biden’s first year in office in 2021 – due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The dinner typically includes a roast from the President and, in turn, a comedic performance.
That got scrapped last year due to the outcry surrounding anti-Trump comedian Amber Ruffin’s selection, with the WHCD board unanimously voting to cancel her performance after it was initially announced.
This year, instead of a comedian, mentalist Oz Pearlman is slated to perform.
