Donald Trump returns to White House Correspondents’ Dinner after shooting forced to postpone for months
President of the United States Donald Trump He attended the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, nearly three months after a shooting outside the venue postponed the annual event.The US president will address reporters from major news organizations after months of clashes with the media over coverage and press access.Before the event, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said Trump’s remarks would be “both unifying and vicious, serious and funny.”The annual dinner, which celebrates press freedom and raises funds for journalism scholarships, has been postponed since April after a gunman tried to breach a security checkpoint and opened fire outside a Washington Hilton hotel venue where Trump and members of his cabinet were attending.Friday’s event is currently being held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel with heightened security.Meanwhile, shooting suspect Cole Allen later pleaded not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate the president.The White House Correspondents’ Association said the program will include honoring Victor Gonzalez, the Secret Service officer who was injured while stopping the attacker, as well as staff at the Washington Hilton hotel who assisted guests during the incident.Trump’s appearance comes as press freedom advocates continue to criticize his administration for filing lawsuits against media organizations, restricting interviews by some journalists and other actions that have affected the press. The White House has defended the measures, saying they are designed to increase accountability, protect sensitive information and address media bias.
