NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s anticipated presence at this weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has sparked fresh debate about the annual Washington gathering that celebrates journalism while bringing reporters together with the officials they cover.
The administration’s hostile relationship with news media throughout Trump’s second term — including verbal attacks on individual journalists, ongoing legal battles with major outlets like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press, and limiting media access at the Pentagon — makes his attendance particularly controversial.
The annual event, nicknamed the “nerd prom” for its spectacle of formally-dressed reporters, already faces criticism for creating uncomfortable dynamics between journalists and their subjects.
“This is sort of a critical moment for these dinners and it will be interesting to see what happens going forward,” said Lisa Stark, a former ABC News reporter.
Stark and longtime colleague Ian Cameron have organized a petition calling on journalists attending Saturday’s event to “speak forcefully” in defense of press freedom with Trump present. More than 350 former journalists, including Dan Rather and former ABC White House correspondent Sam Donaldson, have signed the petition. Some reporters are discussing visible demonstrations such as wearing First Amendment-themed lapel pins.
Since Calvin Coolidge became the first president to attend in 1924, chief executives have traditionally appeared at the dinner, often enduring comedic roasting from entertainers like Stephen Colbert, Colin Jost and Trevor Noah. Trump previously attended as a guest in 2011, visibly uncomfortable as President Barack Obama made jokes at his expense. This marks his first attendance as sitting president.
“The only thing more insulting for the press than Trump not coming is Trump coming,” Kelly McBride, NPR ombudsman and head of the Poynter Institute’s ethics and leadership center, wrote last week.
“This man mocks you, sues you, and targets you for prosecution,” former AP White House correspondent Ron Fournier wrote on Substack, questioning why journalists would share dinner with Trump after detailing his actions against the press. HuffPost announced its journalists won’t attend Saturday as a form of protest.
WHCA president Weijia Jiang of CBS News declined immediate comment. However, Todd Gilman, former White House bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News and current Arizona State University journalism professor, argued that avoiding Trump wouldn’t be appropriate for the press. He noted the president will generate news regardless, depending on his remarks at the event.
Gilman emphasized that correspondents aren’t honoring Trump by including him at the dinner, addressing what he called a common misunderstanding.
Separately, CBS parent company Paramount is reportedly hosting a dinner Thursday honoring Trump at the Institute of Peace, which was renamed for Trump last year. Paramount is currently seeking government approval for its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Should Trump remain for the entire dinner Saturday, he’ll witness awards being presented to journalists he has criticized, including CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. The Wall Street Journal will be recognized for reporting on Trump’s birthday message to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — a story that prompted Trump to sue the publication. The Associated Press, currently in court battles with Trump over access issues, will also receive honors.
Questions about journalists socializing with powerful figures they cover aren’t new. The New York Times stopped participating in 2011 for these reasons. The Atlantic magazine described the “slow, awkward death” of the correspondents dinner in 2018.
McBride suggested correspondents should recognize that “a red-carpet schmoozefest with the powerful sources they cover was never a good idea.” News organizations will face scrutiny this weekend for hosting administration officials at their tables, such as CBS News reportedly inviting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Many attending journalists defend the event’s networking opportunities as professionally valuable. Gilman has brought Mexican ambassadors as guests — important contacts for a Texas newspaper reporter. NPR journalist Eric Deggans wrote on Substack about securing an interview with media mogul Byron Allen through a WHCD connection.
“Even if you’re not sitting with an administration official, you have the opportunity to walk up to someone, say hi, break the ice and give them a business card,” Gilman explained. “It puts a face to the name, so maybe they’ll return your call the next time.”
