Overview
- President Donald Trump attended and spoke at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association dinner Friday in Washington, delivering a mix of jokes, criticisms of the press, and comments about the April shooting.
- Organizers moved the gala from the Washington Hilton to the Waldorf Astoria, cut the guest list sharply, and implemented layered entry checks, unique QR codes, private security and a Secret Service advance team to tighten protection.
- The suspect in the April attack, Cole Tomas Allen, remains in federal custody and has pleaded not guilty to charges that include attempting to assassinate the president.
- The WHCA presented a special award to Secret Service officer Victor Gonzales, who was shot but protected by his vest, and also honored Washington Hilton staff who helped guests during the evacuation.
- Hundreds of journalists and press freedom groups urged the WHCA to use the event to confront the administration's actions toward the media, making the dinner both a symbolic stand against violence and a focal point for debate over press access and accountability.