President Donald Trump attacked reporters Friday at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner with humor and vitriol, weaving typical metaphors for political rallies at the newly restarted celebration of press freedom after a mass shooting disrupted the original event in April.
Mr. Trump, whose administration has often been at odds with the press, started by largely echoing the evening’s warm, relaxed atmosphere.
But much of the hour-long speech veered toward political opponents, reflecting frequently repeated themes and lines of attack.
A somber gathering of journalists, politicians and government officials scheduled for April 25 at the Washington Hilton was canceled that night after a man tried to force his way through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside a ballroom where Trump and members of his Cabinet were seated.
Cole Allen pleaded not guilty in May to charges including attempted assassination of the president.
The Correspondents Gala has been a Washington tradition for more than a century, celebrating the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment and raising money for journalism scholarships. Hundreds of veteran journalists and eight professional journalism organizations signed a letter calling on the Correspondents’ Association to use the dinner to condemn President Trump’s attack on the First Amendment.
In any case, the president was given the typical honor, with only a few awkward moments as he shook hands with journalists who won awards for their stories about the Trump administration.
“I want you to know that I believe in a free press more than anyone in this room, but I may not fully believe in it. That’s why I’m proud to be the most open and transparent president in history,” Trump said. “That’s what they call me.”
President Trump also spoke about the other side of his attacks on the press. He has provided unprecedented access to reporters by frequently holding Q&A sessions with them and receiving direct phone calls from many of them.
“I’ve always found that if I don’t talk to the press, bad stories always come out,” Trump said. Trump’s relationship with the press goes back decades to his rise as a prominent New York real estate developer in the 1980s. “When you talk to the press, you’re likely to get a good story.”
Many of the teleprompter’s barbs flattened, causing him to question the speechwriter’s abilities, at one point asking, “Can anyone figure this out?”
When one joke exploded, President Trump said, “That was the only thing I thought was good in this whole stupid speech.”
In between jokes and insults, Trump returned to topics frequently played at his political rallies, offering his views on issues such as Iran and Washington’s crimes as a result of his administration.
He would occasionally be introspective, such as admitting he had a weight problem after making fun of others’ body size.
Two events this year marked Trump’s first presidential appearance at the Correspondents’ Dinner. He had boycotted the event for several years before taking office, but vowed to return next year.
Press freedom advocates have criticized the Trump administration over lawsuits it has filed against news organizations, restricted access to some journalists and threatened lawsuits against broadcasters. He rejected the criticism and said his administration was promoting accountability and addressing bias.
Friday’s event also honored Victor Gonzalez, the Secret Service agent who was shot at a security checkpoint outside the ballroom in April and is credited with thwarting the attack, as well as Washington Hilton staff who assisted guests. Gonzalez survived wearing a protective vest.
The dinner was moved to a small venue at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel under tight security, and one of the first messages of the night was a protest against the assault.
“We will not give in to political violence…crazy losers with guns will never change this,” Trump said, echoing the sentiments of other speakers.
Still, he couldn’t help but call out his critics in the press and entertainment world, naming journalists such as Don Lemon and Lawrence O’Donnell, politicians such as Chris Christie and Adam Schiff, and celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda as targets of attack.
Typical of the conflicting messages, Trump thanked the organizers and said he had made friends, but stopped short of fully accepting his frequent adversaries.
“It was an interesting night. We really didn’t know what was going to happen,” Trump said. “And it’s much worse than I actually thought.”
