Trump attends White House Correspondents' Dinner, ends long boycott of press event
President Trump ended his long boycott of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, marking an unusual setting given his frequently adversarial stance toward the media.
Historic Return
The White House Correspondents' Association says it's glad Trump is ending his long boycott of the event, which has hosted sitting presidents for over 100 years.
Context
It's a highly unusual setting for a president who frequently rails against real news he calls "fake." Given both Trump's words and actions against the press, the White House Correspondents' Association has come under criticism for encouraging him to come to the dinner. Since returning to office last year, Trump has sued multiple news outlets, defunded PBS and NPR, dismantled Voice of America, and pushed federal agencies to punish critical media outlets.
What to Expect
Trump's aides have said he is planning an "entertaining" speech, but many journalists have speculated that he'll single out news outlets for criticism, perhaps treating the event like the vanquishing of an opponent.