White House Correspondents’ Dinner Won't Have Same Draw This Year As Trump, Others Skip
- 7 years ago
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 29 is expected to have a very different tone than the fancy, celebrity-filled events from previous years.
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 29 is expected to have a very different tone than the fancy, celebrity-filled events from previous years.
One of the main differences is that President Trump will not be present; he announced his decision in late February, tweeting, “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
Members of his administration will also reportedly skip the annual event as a show of unity.
As USA Today’s Susan Page told the Washington Post, “This is clearly going to be different. Last year, I was at a table with Kendall Jenner, and this year I’m at a table with Madeleine Albright.”
She added, “In a way it refocuses the dinner...on the role we want the press to play in a democracy.”
The Post is speculating that the bigger event for celebrities that night "will likely be a party at the W Hotel to celebrate the taping earlier Saturday of a TBS comedy special by current-affairs comedian Samantha Bee — pointedly titled 'Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.'"
Like Page, some have indicated that a more sober tone may be a positive change, but others have expressed regret that Trump is the first president since Ronald Reagan not to attend.
CNBC’s Steve Liesman has said, “I think the president should go. I think that there’s historically been one night of the year of detente, and that’s a good and healthy thing for both sides.”
However, Trump has already made other plans for April 29--officially his 100th day in office-- announcing on Twitter that he would be holding what he called “a BIG rally in Pennsylvania.”
That said, Trump has said he would be open to attending future White House Correspondents’ Association dinners, telling Reuters, “I would come next year, absolutely.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 29 is expected to have a very different tone than the fancy, celebrity-filled events from previous years.
One of the main differences is that President Trump will not be present; he announced his decision in late February, tweeting, “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
Members of his administration will also reportedly skip the annual event as a show of unity.
As USA Today’s Susan Page told the Washington Post, “This is clearly going to be different. Last year, I was at a table with Kendall Jenner, and this year I’m at a table with Madeleine Albright.”
She added, “In a way it refocuses the dinner...on the role we want the press to play in a democracy.”
The Post is speculating that the bigger event for celebrities that night "will likely be a party at the W Hotel to celebrate the taping earlier Saturday of a TBS comedy special by current-affairs comedian Samantha Bee — pointedly titled 'Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.'"
Like Page, some have indicated that a more sober tone may be a positive change, but others have expressed regret that Trump is the first president since Ronald Reagan not to attend.
CNBC’s Steve Liesman has said, “I think the president should go. I think that there’s historically been one night of the year of detente, and that’s a good and healthy thing for both sides.”
However, Trump has already made other plans for April 29--officially his 100th day in office-- announcing on Twitter that he would be holding what he called “a BIG rally in Pennsylvania.”
That said, Trump has said he would be open to attending future White House Correspondents’ Association dinners, telling Reuters, “I would come next year, absolutely.”