President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at a rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, several months after an armed suspect disrupted the organization's annual banquet. The event, to be held at the Waldorf Astoria, aims to serve as a statement against violence and intimidation of the press.
"In April, President Trump promised to finish the job and plan another WHCA Dinner, and on Friday, he will deliver on that promise," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "We look forward to a great and fun evening celebrating 250 years of American greatness and a free press."
The original dinner in April was abruptly ended when an armed suspect, Cole Allen, attempted to enter the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. Secret Service agents evacuated President Trump and the first lady as attendees sought cover. The incident prompted criticism regarding security protocols at the event. Former Navy SEAL and FBI special agent Jonathan Gilliam has previously questioned the security measures in place.
The WHCA will honor U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales at Friday's dinner for his role in preventing the suspect from entering the ballroom. "The WHCA is deeply grateful that law enforcement officials prevented the armed suspect from entering the ballroom," said Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association. "Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely."
While first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend due to prior commitments, several cabinet officials are expected, including FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Mentalist Oz Pearlman is slated to provide entertainment.
Following the April incident, Trump expressed a desire to hold the dinner again and indicated a less confrontational tone for his eventual remarks. "I think I’m going to be probably very nice. I’ll be very boring the next time. But we’re going to have a great event," he said at the time.
The rescheduled dinner occurs amidst ongoing discussions about the role of the press and the safety of public events. Anti-war protesters had demonstrated outside the April event, and similar demonstrations could be present on Friday.