Trump mixes barbs and 2028 joke at rescheduled correspondents dinner

President Donald Trump showed up at the rescheduled White House Correspondents Association dinner Friday night, three months after a gunman tried to storm the original event and force an evacuation. The gathering moved to the smaller Waldorf Astoria ballroom, where Trump delivered an hour-long speech that mixed jokes, pointed barbs at journalists, and a playful nod to running again in 2028.

The president began by acknowledging the April incident that disrupted the event, calling it an attempted mass murder that could have changed everything. He told the crowd the show must go on, a line that drew applause from many in the room. Outgoing WHCA president Weijia Jiang and ABC's Jon Karl both thanked Trump for attending and noted the importance of presidents sitting with reporters who ask tough questions. Those moments stood out after months of tension between the administration and much of the press.

Trump quickly shifted into familiar territory. He accused parts of the media of producing fake news and told the audience not to believe certain coverage of his foreign policy moves. He poked fun at public figures including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the dinner's beef tenderloin and took shots at the weight and intellect of old rivals like Chris Christie and Jerry Nadler. The speech wandered at times into longer riffs that echoed his campaign rallies, prompting some guests to check their phones.

At one point Trump pulled out a red cap that read Trump 2028 and said he was pleased to announce his intention to run for a fourth term. He added that he was only kidding, though the line fit a pattern of comments he has made about serving beyond two terms. The Constitution bars anyone from holding the office more than twice.

Critics on cable news were quick to label the remarks mean and small. CNN contributor Van Jones called the speech unfunny and said it failed to connect with regular Americans worried about gas prices or family members overseas. Trump had promised beforehand that he scrapped the harshest parts of what he planned to say in April, but the final version still contained plenty of the insults that define his public style.

The dinner itself raised money for journalism scholarships and celebrated the First Amendment, yet the evening highlighted the distance between Trump and many of the reporters in the room. He praised some journalists for doing an amazing job while continuing to single out others for their coverage. The event marked his first appearance at the correspondents dinner during either of his terms, coming after repeated attacks on what he calls the mainstream media.

Security remained tight following the April shooting, in which suspect Cole Allen has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted assassination. Trump moved through the evening without further incident, shaking hands and posing for photos before leaving the stage. The night showed both sides attempting a version of normalcy after violence interrupted the usual schedule, even as the president's remarks made clear the underlying friction remains.