- ‘We’re not after journalists. We’re after leakers. We’re after people that are cowards, people that are unpatriotic, people that are treasonous in many cases. And the way you find them is through the journalists’ – US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump addressed hundreds of journalists at a scaled-down and rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday, marking his first appearance at the annual event during his presidency.
The dinner was held under heightened security nearly three months after an alleged assassination attempt led to the original event being interrupted. This year’s gathering took place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, accommodating about 700 guests instead of the larger Washington Hilton, the traditional venue.
During his speech, which lasted more than an hour, Trump mixed humor with political remarks, joking about the possibility of serving a third presidential term.
“Just like my presidency, the second time is always better. It’s always better,” Trump said. “And the third time will be better yet.” He quickly added, “I’m only kidding.”
Trump has previously floated the idea of seeking a third term, despite the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution limiting presidents to two elected terms.
Jokes About Security Incident
The president also referred to the security incident that disrupted the original dinner in April, when a suspect allegedly attempted to breach a security checkpoint before being stopped by law enforcement officers.
Trump joked about the reaction inside the venue after gunshots were heard, drawing laughter from the audience.
He also paid tribute to Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez, who was injured during the confrontation with the suspect.
“What he did was amazing,” Trump said. “We salute you and we thank you with all of our hearts.”
First Attendance at Annual Dinner
Although the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an annual tradition, Trump did not attend any of the events during his first presidential term.
Addressing the audience, he said he had skipped previous dinners because he believed the media had treated him unfairly but expressed hope of returning next year.
Trump has maintained a contentious relationship with several news organizations throughout his political career.
During Friday’s speech, he criticized a number of journalists, including CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins and The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Dawsey, both of whom received journalism awards during the event.
Despite his criticism, Trump concluded by acknowledging the role of the press.
“I have tremendous respect for the people in this room. Sometimes I don’t feel you treat me fair. Maybe you do. I don’t know,” he said.
Defends Administration’s Media Policies
The Trump administration has pursued several measures affecting media access, including filing lawsuits against news organizations, restricting the Associated Press’ participation in the White House press pool, and limiting journalists’ access to the Pentagon.
The administration says the steps are intended to improve accountability and address perceived media bias.
Earlier on Friday, speaking in the Oval Office, Trump defended the use of federal subpoenas, later withdrawn, issued to journalists from The New York Times during an investigation into leaks concerning the security of a Qatari-donated Air Force One aircraft.
“We’re not after journalists. We’re after leakers. We’re after people that are cowards, people that are unpatriotic, people that are treasonous in many cases. And the way you find them is through the journalists,” Trump said.
The rescheduled correspondents’ dinner marked Trump’s first appearance at the event as president, bringing together journalists, public officials, and guests under significantly tighter security following the earlier incident.
