Trump condemns violence, slams press at White House Correspondents' Dinner
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Add Axios on Google President Donald Trump speaks during the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2026. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
President Trump used his speech at Friday's rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association Dinner to condemn the political violence that postponed the annual event — and in the next breath attack and insult the gathered press.
The big picture: The president opened with jokes to the hundreds of assembled journalists and even made a little fun of himself, in a speech that started light — before descending into a litany of familiar complaints about reporters and prominent Democrats.
Zoom out: "In America we do not yield to political violence," Trump told event attendees, referencing the gunman who opened fire outside the ballroom where he and hundreds of others were gathered for the previously scheduled dinner in April.
Zoom in: This year marked the first time that Trump has attended a White House Correspondents' Dinner as president, and he engaged in the long-standing tradition of poking fun at the media and his administration.
Between the lines: The speech wasn't without barbs and airing of some familiar grievances by the president, who discussed the need for the White House ballroom, complained about performers like Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Kimmel, and warned guests not to believe any "fake news" about Iran.
💭 Thought bubble, from Axios media correspondent Sara Fischer: The CBS jokes aside, Trump's repeated praise of Paramount chair David Ellison may complicate life for the company, which is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit from a dozen Democratic state attorneys general as it tries to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
Friction point: There were also a few awkward moments for the president, as the Wall Street Journal was awarded a prize for its coverage of a letter Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein.
The bottom line: Trump's speech, which ran just over an hour, started on a warmer tone but quickly descended into a familiar one of confrontation.
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