Former President Donald Trump experienced an uncomfortable moment at the White House Correspondents' Dinner when CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer presented an award to journalists whose reporting detailed a letter Trump allegedly wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The dinner, revived at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, took place months after an assassination attempt had halted the initial event. While the evening was largely jovial, Trump's reaction was notable when Blitzer introduced The Wall Street Journal's team, recipients of The Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability. The award specifically recognized their coverage of the alleged birthday card from Trump to Epstein, compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell.
The CSPAN feed cut to Trump after Blitzer mentioned that the former president had sued The Wall Street Journal and revealed one of its reporters' home addresses. Trump appeared to shrug and mouth "I don't know" as the audience cheered. Karoline Leavitt, who was seated with Trump, offered him comfort with pats on the back.
Despite the awkwardness, Trump stood and shook hands with the awarded members of The Wall Street Journal team. He later appeared to reference the awards during his own remarks, asking, "Do I get a say?"
The lawsuit Trump filed against The Wall Street Journal, seeking $10 billion in damages over the letter, was dismissed by a federal judge in mid-April. The judge ruled that Trump failed to demonstrate the reporting was done with "actual malice," the legal standard required for defamation claims. The judge noted that the complaint "comes nowhere close to this standard."
The Wall Street Journal published the letter, allegedly from Trump to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003, which contained the message, "We have certain things in common, Jeffrey. A pal is a wonderful thing." The note appeared to be drawn within the outline of a woman's body. Trump has denied writing the letter and claimed the signature was not his.
Trump had previously vowed to attend the rescheduled dinner to signify that "the show must go on" following the security incident at the original event. He was seated next to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, while First Lady Melania Trump was absent. White House Correspondents Association President Weija Jiang also sat to his left.
The rescheduled dinner was held with heightened security at the smaller Waldorf Astoria venue, accommodating approximately 700 guests, a change from the original Washington Hilton location.
Jiang's opening remarks highlighted a moment of unity between the press and the presidency in the aftermath of the shooting attempt. She described witnessing Trump with his cabinet, seeking information to share with the public, noting a shared duty to serve the American people that transcends the often-tense relationship between the press and the executive branch.