Trump Says He’ll Attend Rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner

UPDATED: The White House Correspondents’ Association is rescheduling its annual dinner for July 24 in what will be a more intimate event with “enhanced safety measures.”

The event was postponed following a shooting at the April fete in which a gunman was charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump.

WHCA President Weijia Jiang wrote in an email to members, “Rescheduling was not automatic. It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members. I want to thank board members for the time and care they brought to this decision, particularly on the security front. The event will feature significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures. We will share additional details directly with attendees.”

A venue and other details have yet to be announced. But in a post announcing that he will attend, Trump said that the event would be held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the former Trump operated property.

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling. I was asked to be there, and speak, by Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association, and have accepted.” He also noted that hed built the hotel and its ballroom.

Jiang wrote, “This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above.”

Authorities allege that Cole Tomas Allen stormed through a security checkpoint holding a long gun at the Washington Hilton on April 25. After a loud gunshot was heard, a Secret Service officer fired multiple times at Allen, who was not shot but fell to the ground, before he could get down stairs that led to the ballroom, prosecutors said. The Secret Service officer was struck once in the chest but was wearing a ballistic vest.

The shots were heard in the ballroom, sending most attendees to the ground in the confusion of what was unfolding. Secret Service agents rushed Trump, Vice President JD Vance and cabinet officials from the ballroom. Although there was talk that the dinner would resume, Jiang appeared on stage about an hour later and said that it would be rescheduled, after law enforcement recommended that guests leave the premises.

Jiang said that WHCA members who purchased tickets to the April event will not have to purchase new ones for the second event. The association also will provide financial support to scholarship winners to travel to the new event.

In the aftermath, there has been considerable focus on the suspect’s ability to access the security checkpoint. According to prosecutors, he checked into the hotel the day before, as the Hilton remained accessible to guests even if they did not have tickets to the dinner or invites to a host of pre-event receptions.

Shortly after the assassination attempt, Trump had urged the WHCA to reschedule.

He wrote on Tuesday, “I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out. In any event, it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket! Interestingly, the location will be The Waldorf Astoria, on Pennsylvania Avenue, a Building and Ballroom that I built.”

Jiang’s full email is below, as well as Trump’s Truth Social post:

Dear colleagues, 

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has served as a celebration of a free press and the vital role of journalism in our democracy for over a century. When gunfire interrupted this year’s event, it further clarified the WHCA’s mission to advocate for the freedoms that are protected in the First Amendment. We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for. 

I am proud to announce we will host another dinner to be held in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 24th. 

Rescheduling was not automatic. It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members. I want to thank board members for the time and care they brought to this decision, particularly on the security front. The event will feature significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures. We will share additional details directly with attendees.  

Our thoughts remain with the officer who was injured and with everyone who experienced that evening. We are indebted to the US Secret Service, law enforcement and the hotel staff whose swift response protected our guests and our staff. 

In the weeks since the last dinner, we have raised funds to ensure WHCA members who purchased tickets will not have to pay if they attend the second event, which will be a more intimate gathering. We will also offer financial support to our scholarship winners for travel back to Washington. They, along with our journalism award winners, deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to reporting. 

This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above. 

Details on the venue, tickets, and programming will follow soon. 

Sincerely,
Weijia

Trump’s Truth Social post:

“In a sign of Strength and Fortitude, it was just announced that The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which violently ended rather abruptly on April 25th, will be rescheduled to July 24th. This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling. I was asked to be there, and speak, by Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association, and have accepted. I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out. In any event, it will be a “HOT” ticket! Interestingly, the location will be The Waldorf Astoria, on Pennsylvania Avenue, a Building and Ballroom that I built. President DONALD J. TRUMP”

More to come.