President Donald Trump is set to take the spotlight at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, stepping into a packed Washington ballroom full of reporters, political power players and media executives. The black-tie staple of the capital’s social calendar mixes awards, scholarship fundraising and a blur of surrounding parties, but this year the return of a president who has repeatedly attacked the press has many in the industry eyeing every toast and punch line a little more closely.
Where and when
According to the WHCA, the dinner will once again take place at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, with proceeds underwriting journalism scholarships and reporting awards. Tickets are restricted to member news outlets, keeping the event a tight, insider affair that still ranks as one of the city’s marquee spring gatherings.
WHCA president will speak
WHCA president Weijia Jiang, who covers the White House for CBS News, plans to deliver remarks on the essential role of a free press before the president takes the stage, AP News reports. Jiang has cast the dinner as a salute to the First Amendment, even as the choice to invite Trump has fueled an ongoing argument in and beyond newsrooms about how the press should engage with him.
No roast this year
This time, there will be no comedian lobbing zingers at the commander in chief. Instead, organizers tapped mentalist Oz Pearlman as the evening’s entertainment, a programming shift the WHCA describes as an effort to sidestep another backlash, according to WHC Insider. The change follows earlier blowups over edgy routines and is meant to keep the spotlight more firmly on the awards and the association’s core mission.
Pushback from the press
Not everyone in the profession is applauding the invitation list. More than 200 veteran journalists and press organizations signed an open letter urging the WHCA to “forcefully demonstrate opposition” to Trump during the dinner and labeling his participation “a profound contradiction of its purpose,” according to Fox News. The signers, including well-known broadcast figures and several journalism groups, are pressing the association to use its podium to make a clear stand for press freedom.
Boycotts and a packed ballroom
At least one outlet is sitting this one out. HuffPost has announced it will boycott the dinner and criticized sharing the room with Trump, as reported by KVIA/CNN Newsource. Even so, the WHCA’s main event is sold out, and the broader weekend remains crowded with pre- and post-dinner receptions hosted by media organizations and private hosts.
Private parties drew protests
The satellite soirees are already causing their own headaches. A private Thursday night dinner thrown by Paramount CEO David Ellison drew protesters and fresh scrutiny, since Paramount is pursuing a major deal for Warner Bros. Discovery while the administration weighs regulatory approvals, according to Deadline (via Yahoo) and The Guardian. Opponents of the merger argue that lavish private gatherings by would-be media consolidators, staged during a weekend celebrating the press and proximity to power, make for an uneasy blend of influence, money and access.
How to watch
If you are not on the guest list, there are still plenty of ways to follow along. C-SPAN plans to carry the dinner live and commercial-free, while CNN has scheduled special coverage of the event, according to TV Insider. Expect a flood of clips and reaction posts to shape the narrative on Sunday political shows and across social media.
Whatever unfolds at the podium, the WHCA maintains that the dinner’s proceeds support scholarships and awards for emerging reporters. That mission is likely to be both the centerpiece of the evening’s self-congratulation and a focal point for critics watching how the press corps handles its uneasy reunion with the president.
