U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on the media during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an event dedicated to press freedom, which had been postponed in April following a shooting near the original venue.
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Trump, whose administration has frequently clashed with the media, began his speech with light tones and humor but quickly turned to attacking what he calls the “fake news media.”
He also took aim at political opponents and well-known media and entertainment figures, singling out journalists Don Lemon and Lawrence O’Donnell, politicians Chris Christie and Adam Schiff, as well as artists Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda.
“Here indeed is the largest gathering of people with Trump derangement syndrome ever assembled in one place,” the American president said with irony. “Some of you are lucky the last dinner ended early, because I was going to tell you a few things.”
This was the first time Trump attended the dinner as president, having consistently boycotted the event during his first term.
Press freedom organizations have criticized the Trump administration for lawsuits against media outlets, restricting access for certain journalists, and threats against broadcasters.
The president has dismissed these accusations, arguing that his administration is promoting accountability and fighting media bias.
The ceremony was originally planned for April 25 at the Washington Hilton hotel but was canceled after a person attempted to force his way through a security checkpoint and opened fire with a shotgun near the hall where Trump and his cabinet members were located.
The suspect, Cole Allen, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, including attempted assassination of the president.
The event was later moved to the Waldorf Astoria hotel under strict security measures. Opening the evening, outgoing White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang of CBS News declared: “Tonight our message is clear: We are back. We will not be intimidated. We will not let an act of violence have the last word.”
Trump also condemned political violence, stating: “We do not submit to political violence. No deranged gunman is going to change that.”
During the ceremony, Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez, who was injured during the April attack and is credited with helping prevent a greater tragedy, was also honored.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is a more than century-old tradition in Washington, raising funds for journalism scholarships and promoting press freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Trump closed his speech with another jab at journalists: “I know it wasn’t easy to find shoes that matched your bulletproof vest. Many of you didn’t want to wear it, because you’d rather die than look 10 kilograms heavier.”
In the end, he thanked the organizers for the invitation but added ironically: “It was an interesting evening. I didn’t know what to expect… and it was much worse than I had imagined.”
