Overview
- More than 250 journalists and several press groups released the letter Monday, asking the association to “forcefully demonstrate opposition” from the podium and listing signers such as Dan Rather, Sam Donaldson, Ann Curry, SPJ, NABJ, and the National Press Photographers Association.
- The appeal cites what it calls attacks on the press, including Associated Press access bans, restrictive new Pentagon press rules, FCC investigations into network content, defamation lawsuits against outlets, and public insults of individual reporters.
- The White House Correspondents’ Association says President Trump accepted its invitation, which makes this his first time attending the dinner as the sitting president.
- WHCA leadership has not committed to delivering the onstage statement and First Amendment toast that the letter requests.
- Some attendees plan visible signals of dissent such as pocket handkerchiefs or lapel pins bearing the text of the First Amendment, while this year’s program swaps a comedian for a mentalist after past clashes over roasts.