What to know about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, take two

Published 24 July 2026 · us

Perennially controversial dinner is back, with Trump set to attend, after a gunman derailed the proceedings in April. Washington, DC – After unprecedented violence in

Perennially controversial dinner is back, with Trump set to attend, after a gunman derailed the proceedings in April. Washington, DC – After unprecedented violence in April, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is trying again. The annual – and perennially controversial – event had originally been held in April, but it was swiftly derailed after a gunman attempted to storm the proceedings in an alleged effort to assassinate United States President Donald Trump. Trump has had a historically caustic relationship with the dinner, but had actually touted the celebration this year, calling it a “very good thing” and a “HOT ticket”. He is set to attend its second iteration on Friday, though he will be surrounded by increased security. Trump’s sentiment represents a sea change from his first term, beginning in 2017, when the newly elected president declared the soiree “dead” and declined to attend over the next four years. Beyond Trump, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has long been a lightning rod for criticism among media professionals. Calls for the dinner to be abandoned entirely only grew after the April imbroglio. Prominent journalists have questioned its purpose, optics and ethics, particularly given Trump’s pugnacious approach to the press. The recent subpoena of New York Times journalists has further piqued those criticisms. Nicholas Lemann, former dean of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, called the event “Washington journalism as a Rotary Club meeting”. The dinner with the president “is an outdated tradition” that “harms all of journalism“, according to Kelly McBride, senior vice president of The Poynter Institute. For her part, Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), said that rescheduling the event was “not automatic” and was only happening “after thoughtful consideration and input from our members”. So, what is the controversial dinner, when was it rescheduled for, how will it be different, and why is Trump on board? When is it? The dinner will be held on Friday, July 24. Doors open at 6pm local (22:00 GMT) and the dinner begins at 7pm (23:00 GMT). Where is it? The event will be held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, formerly known as the Trump International Hotel.

It is a change of venue from the Washington Hilton, where the April dinner was held. The initial choice of the sprawling complex has been criticised as difficult to secure. What is this dinner? The WHCA hosts an annual black-tie gala for politicians and reporters, although it is well attended by other celebrities. The night is actually a fundraising event for the WHCA, which charges $480 per ticket. The WHCA then directs the proceeds towards journalism awards and scholarships. The dinner has often been criticised for appearing to be an event for the Washington press corps to hobnob with the political elites who are regularly the subject of their reporting, raising questions of impartiality. Columbia Journalism School dean Nicholas Lemann, speaking to The New York Times, suggested that seeing journalists being chummy with public officials probably fails to help “reverse journalism’s falling public trust numbers”. The dinner has also been criticised for its Hollywood-like glitz, with critics charging media networks with using it to market their on-air personalities and celebrities, shifting the emphasis from hard news reporting. On occasion, the event has come under fire for its programming. In 2018, Michelle Wolf’s performance, which held few punches when it came to Trump and the press corps that covers him, divided attendees. The night prompted the WHCA to move away from headlining comedians. This year, mentalist Oz Pearlman was scheduled to perform. Sitting US presidents have customarily attended at least one White House Correspondents’ Dinner during their tenure. Why was it delayed? The original 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was disrupted and ended early when Cole Tomas Allen stormed the gala venue, the Washington Hilton, armed with guns and knives. Allen raced through a security checkpoint, shooting a Secret Service officer and allegedly attempting to assassinate President Trump, who was in attendance. Trump was hurried from the dinner, Allen was captured, and the injured Secret Service officer survived. Trump subsequently claimed that the attack highlighted the need for his planned White House ballroom, which he said would be “much more secure … we need the ballroom”. The project has been scrutinised for transforming the iconic image of the White House and for its high price tag for taxpayers.