More than 500 journalists have urged the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to "forcefully stand up" against President Donald Trump and "speak truth to power" at the organization's rescheduled dinner.
In a letter organized by former ABC News correspondent Lisa Stark and former executive producer Ian Cameron, the journalists called on the WHCA to publicly defend members of the press who have been attacked by the president and to resist his administration's efforts to undermine the First Amendment.
The letter, which was also signed by over 200 journalists ahead of the original dinner in April, stated that the Trump administration's attacks on the press have become more "egregious" since the initial event. The journalists expressed the belief that it is "hypocritical to celebrate the First Amendment in front of the man who relentlessly attacks it."
"We urge the WHCA to condemn the administration’s actions from the podium and pledge to fight all attempts by his administration to undermine this core pillar of a functioning democracy," the letter read.
The White House Correspondents' Association responded by stating that the dinner "exists because the First Amendment matters most when it’s under pressure." The organization added that gathering journalists, newsmakers, and the president in the same room serves as a reminder of the importance of a free press to the country.
The original White House Correspondents' Dinner was scheduled for April 25 but was abruptly ended when an armed suspect attempted to storm the event. The dinner was subsequently rescheduled for July 24 at the Waldorf Astoria. This year's event marks President Trump's first attendance as president, though he previously attended as a private citizen in 2011.