Overview
- WHCA president Weijia Jiang told members Tuesday that the postponed annual dinner will be held on Friday, July 24 as a “more intimate gathering” with new access procedures.
- The original April 25 event at the Washington Hilton was halted when a man fired at a security checkpoint and guests, including the president, were evacuated.
- Authorities have charged 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen with attempting to assassinate the president; he has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody.
- Organizers say the July event will have significantly enhanced safety measures and have raised funds so members who bought April tickets will not be charged again.
- President Trump posted that he accepted an invitation and said the dinner would be at the Waldorf Astoria, a claim WHCA had not confirmed in its member notice and that highlights new questions about venue, optics and security as legal and Secret Service reviews continue.