Pathetic media outraged by Trump’s attending White House Correspondents’ Dinner
by Tim Constantine · The Washington TimesOPINION:
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is scheduled for this night at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. Since 1921, the annual black-tie dinner has gathered members of the media, top politicos, and even Hollywood stars. In 1924 Calvin Coolidge launched what would become the tradition of the president speaking at the event. In a nod to the awkward social skills so prevalent among journalists, the event is known in DC as “the nerd prom.”
For more than 100 years the purpose of the event, according to the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), has been the same.
“Our annual dinner is our main source of revenue to finance all of our work, including support of the journalists working to cover the president, events and programs to educate the public about the value of the First Amendment and a free press, and scholarships to help the next generation of journalists,” the WHCA says.
For at least the last five decades, the event has had a similar format. The president takes to the podium and makes some jokes about himself, about his political opposition and about the media. Later, the master of ceremonies, often a comedian, hops onstage to good-naturedly roast both the president and the news media. Traditionally, it is done in good taste and good fun. It’s a night where the humanity of all — politicians, media types and everyone else — is gently brought to bear. In a world where egos are large and passion is high, the dinner is a great annual opportunity to lower the temperature and foster an atmosphere of good fellowship.
The media’s utter disdain for President Trump, however, changed the dynamic of the formal evening dramatically.
During Mr. Trump’s first term, he became the first president to skip the dinner in more than 30 years. Some accused him of being too thin-skinned but a look at the 2018 event would suggest he was right to take a pass. M.C. Michelle Wolf filled the room with a rude, crude routine that, among much else, called first daughter Ivanka Trump “about as helpful to women as an empty box of tampons.”
The White House Correspondents Association had to take the unusual step of issuing an apology, saying the host’s monologue failed to meet their goal of presenting a “unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners.”
Many were shocked when Mr. Trump announced he would be attending the 2026 version of the event. His announcement post on Truth Social was 100% Trump.
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“The White House Correspondents Association has asked me, very nicely, to be the Honoree at this year’s Dinner, a long and storied tradition since it began in 1924, under then President Calvin Coolidge.”
He continued, “In honor of our Nation’s 250th Birthday, and the fact that these ’Correspondents’ now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the greatest, hottest, and most spectacular dinner, of any kind, ever!”
In a statement, the Association said it was “happy” Mr. Trump accepted its invitation and was looking “forward to hosting him.” The reaction from the mainstream media was far less enthusiastic.
Retired journalists Dan Rather, Sam Donaldson and Ann Curry (collective age: 255 years) were among the 200 scribes who signed a letter to the WHCA earlier this week, complaining of the president’s participation. They demanded the WHCA forcefully demonstrate opposition to “the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president.”
Among their specifics, according to the letter, were Mr. Trump’s “frivolous lawsuits against the press, defunding of public broadcasting, the dismantling of international broadcasting” and much more.
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If the lawsuits were frivolous, why did ABC News settle the defamation claim case for $16 million? CBS settled a lawsuit alleging deceptive editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris for $16 million. Meta and X paid an estimated $35 million to settle lawsuits regarding the suspension of Mr. Trump’s accounts during his first term. Frivolous lawsuits are dismissed, not settled for tens of millions of dollars.
As for the defunding of the Public Broadcasting Service, PBS began operations in 1970, when there were three national television networks. Today, there are hundreds of TV channels and countless streaming and online options. Funding of PBS was discontinued for the same reason the Pony Express stopped. Times changed. But journalists like Jim Acosta, another signatory on the letter, have a hatred for Mr. Trump so strong that they are convinced any action he takes must be rooted in evil and must be opposed simply because it is him.
If Mr. Trump discovered a cure for cancer, these same journalists would complain that he put doctors out of work.
In the ultimate irony, the letter, while loudly claiming to cherish the First Amendment, suggests that Mr. Trump shouldn’t even be allowed to attend. Their perception of Trump and his attitude toward their work, “render his presence at such an event a profound contradiction of its purpose.”
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Translation: There is no room for his side of the story. We love the First Amendment as long as it is limited to our view.
One of the complainers, the far-left British newspaper The Guardian, was particularly peeved that some media companies had invited officials like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth or FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to sit at their tables for the dinner. Heaven forbid anyone in the media actually have a civil discussion with America’s decision-makers in a social atmosphere. What could possibly be gained from both sides seeing each other as human beings? Little things like sharing a joke or a common distaste for carrots and peas can go a long way toward a better relationship when they return to a more formal setting.
Some planning to attend have promised to air their petty grievances by wearing pins with messages on their gowns and lapels. Others are demanding the WHCA publicly condemn the president from the stage.
Perhaps the saddest part of the whole media hissy fit is that they don’t realize their actions give a megaphone to their inability to approach anything involving Mr. Trump, even a night of comedy and good will, in any mode other than adversarial.
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