President Trump injected humor and solidarity into the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Friday, addressing the room with jokes about a potential third term and tributes to those who acted heroically during the April assassination attempt that led to the event's postponement.
"As I said three months ago, the show must go on," Trump stated at the more intimate gathering, held three months after the original dinner was cut short by an attempted assassination. "Won’t soon be forgotten... and I think a lot was learned from that evening."
The president quipped that, similar to his presidency, the second attempt was better and the third would be even more so. He praised law enforcement and Secret Service agents for their actions during the April incident.
"After hearing the gunshots, many people yelled, ‘Get down! Get down!’ which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking,” he joked, referencing a pop culture figure. Trump also shared a lighthearted anecdote about the difficulty of pairing dress shoes with bulletproof vests, noting that some attendees opted out of wearing protective gear to avoid appearing heavier.
The dinner, held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., marked the first time the event has been held at a venue other than the Washington Hilton in over fifty years. The venue previously housed the Trump International Hotel.
Trump had committed to holding a rescheduled dinner following the April 25 event, which was canceled after an individual allegedly shot a Secret Service agent near the ballroom. The alleged gunman, Cole Thomas Allen, faces charges for attempting to assassinate the president and is awaiting trial.
Security measures for the rescheduled dinner were heightened, with attendees undergoing three security checkpoints, including multiple ID checks and Secret Service magnetometers. The Waldorf Astoria ballroom has a significantly smaller capacity than the Washington Hilton, facilitating a more controlled vetting process. Traditional cocktail receptions were omitted, and digital passes replaced printed ones. An external security firm was also employed to screen guests.
Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump did not attend the rescheduled event. Notable Trump administration officials present included War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Oz Pearlman, a mentalist who was performing during the April incident, returned to entertain guests. Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association at the time of the shooting and a CBS News reporter, opened the evening by stating, “Let’s try this again.” She emphasized that despite the attempt on democracy, the press would not be intimidated.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previously described Trump's speech as a blend of unifying and humorous elements. "One thing I can assure you," Leavitt told reporters, "it will be entertaining."
Numerous journalism awards and scholarships were presented during the dinner. When a team of Wall Street Journal reporters was recognized for a report on Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the president was observed laughing and applauding before congratulating the journalists.