Trump mixes barbs and 2028 joke at rescheduled correspondents dinner

President Donald Trump made his first appearance at the White House Correspondents Association dinner on Friday night, three months after an apparent assassination attempt forced the cancellation of the original event. The rescheduled gathering at the Waldorf Astoria drew hundreds of journalists and administration officials to an evening meant to celebrate press freedom, yet it quickly became another stage for the president to mix light remarks with familiar broadsides against the media and political opponents.

Trump opened his more than hour-long address by acknowledging the April shooting that disrupted the dinner and by pledging to return next year. He described the decision to reschedule as proof that the show must go on. Organizers and journalists present thanked him for attending after the earlier scare, with ABC’s Jon Karl noting the tradition of presidents facing tough questions from the press. Outgoing WHCA president Weijia Jiang also offered brief words of appreciation before introducing the president.

The tone shifted as Trump moved into extended remarks that included insults aimed at public figures and repeated references to “fake news.” He mocked the weight and intellect of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and New York congressman Jerry Nadler. He joked about Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running over the cow that supplied the evening’s beef tenderloin, a reference to Kennedy’s promotion of animal protein. The president also launched into a lengthy critique of Democratic representative Ilhan Omar, drawing the kind of partisan attack more typical of his campaign rallies than a black-tie dinner honoring journalism.

Trump revived speculation about seeking another term, displaying a red “Trump 2028” cap and declaring his intention to run for a fourth term before adding that he was only kidding. The comment drew attention because the Constitution bars anyone from serving more than two terms as president. Earlier in the evening he had shaken hands with reporters from the Wall Street Journal whose coverage had examined his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The speech drew mixed reactions inside the room. Some attendees laughed at scripted jokes, while others appeared disengaged as the president wandered into extended attacks. CNN commentator Van Jones later described the remarks as mean, small and not funny, noting that Trump spent little time addressing the concerns of ordinary Americans. The evening underscored the continuing friction between the administration and much of the press corps, even as both sides observed the formalities of the annual dinner.