President Donald Trump attended the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington. The event was rescheduled from April after a gunman fired shots and forced an evacuation. Trump delivered an hour-long speech that included attacks on journalists and political opponents.
The dinner drew about 700 attendees under tighter security at the new venue. Trump opened by saying the show must go on and noted he had planned sharper remarks for the original date.
He criticized several journalists by name, including CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, and made jokes about members of his cabinet and former political rivals. Trump also referenced a “Trump 2028” hat and joked about running for a fourth term.
Outgoing WHCA president Weijia Jiang said the group would not be intimidated by violence. The event honored Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales for confronting the gunman in April. CNN Worldwide Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson later issued a statement defending the network’s journalists.
