White House Press Dinner Rescheduled for July 24, Trump to Attend

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner will be held again on July 24 in Washington, White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) President Weijia Jiang said on June 2.

President Donald Trump said in a June 2 post on Truth Social that he was asked to attend and would speak at the event. The dinner initially took place in April but was interrupted by a shooting at the hotel where the event was held.

“We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on America 250 and everything we stand for,” Jiang said in a post on social media.

Trump said the new event would be held at the Waldorf Astoria.

Jiang said in a letter obtained by The Epoch Times: “Rescheduling was not automatic. It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members.

“When gunfire interrupted this year’s event, it further clarified the WHCA’s mission to advocate for the freedoms that are protected in the First Amendment.”

Trump said the rescheduling of the dinner was “a sign of strength and fortitude.”

“This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I was asked to be there, and speak, by Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association, and have accepted. I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out.”

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner was disrupted by a shooting on April 26 after suspect Cole Allen allegedly rushed a security checkpoint and opened fire inside a secured area of the event. Federal officials said Allen intended to target Trump and other senior administration officials attending the dinner.

A Secret Service agent was shot during the confrontation but survived, assisted by the protection of a tactical vest, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors charged Allen with attempted assassination of the president, transporting a firearm across state lines to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

In her letter, Jiang said the rescheduled event would “feature significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures.”

“Our thoughts remain with the officer who was injured and with everyone who experienced that evening,” Jiang wrote. “We are indebted to the U.S. Secret Service, law enforcement, and the hotel staff whose swift response protected our guests and our staff.”

Jiang wrote that the dinner would be a “statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”