US President Donald Trump delivered sharp criticism of the media during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an event traditionally held to celebrate press freedom, after the original gathering was canceled three months earlier following a shooting incident.
Trump sat alongside reporters from news organizations with which he has had longstanding disputes and legal battles, including The New York Times, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal, as they were honored with journalism awards.
While presidents typically adopt a lighthearted tone at the annual dinner, Trump joked that "the second time is always better" and said he respected "most" members of the media.
His tone later shifted as he denounced what he called "fake news" and accused many journalists in the room of suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome."
White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang of CBS News announced that next year’s dinner would return to the Washington Hilton, the site of the April shooting. This year’s rescheduled event was held at the Waldorf Astoria, several miles away, following criticism of security measures at the Hilton.
Jiang said she would "refuse to let an act of violence have the final word," referring to the gunman arrested during the first dinner in April.
US Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez, who was shot during the incident, received an award from Trump in recognition of his actions that night.
"As I said three months ago, the show must go on," Trump told attendees.
"Just like my presidency, the second time is always better—and the third will be even better... I'm only kidding," Trump joked, referring to a possible third term.
Trump greeted award recipients, including a Wall Street Journal team recognized for its reporting on his ties to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Before the event, many White House reporters expected Trump, who frequently criticizes journalists, to deliver a harsh rebuke of the media.
His hour-long speech included pointed remarks directed at several journalists present in the room, while also criticizing Democratic politicians and well-known public figures.
At the same time, Trump called on Americans to respect freedom of expression.
"We don't settle our differences with bullets. We settle them through open and vigorous debate," he said. "No deranged loser with a gun will ever change that. We can never allow it."
Throughout the evening, Trump appeared in good spirits, joking with reporters by saying, "Sometimes I really think some of you don't like me."
"This dinner is probably the largest gathering of people with Trump Derangement Syndrome ever assembled," he joked. "Some of you are lucky our last dinner ended early... I was going to go after you."
Trump also joked that the news industry would be "bankrupt" after he leaves office because there would be "no one left to cover."
Putting on a "Trump 2028" hat, he joked that he would seek another term.
"I’m pleased to announce my intention—consider this breaking news—my intention to run for a fourth term as President of the United States," he said in an apparent joke.
Since the start of his second term, Trump has repeatedly hinted at seeking a third term, despite the US Constitution’s Twenty-Second Amendment limiting presidents to two elected terms. The amendment was ratified in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt served four consecutive terms. Trump has run for president three times and won twice.
The dinner took place amid continued tensions between the White House and the media.
Last week, Trump threatened to revoke the broadcasting licenses of several US television networks that did not air his prime-time speech on election security.
Attendance at the event was significantly lower than at the first correspondents’ dinner, with around 700 guests compared with more than 2,000 in April.
Security was also tightened, with several buildings around the hotel closed and a heavy police and National Guard presence. Guests underwent two rounds of security screening using QR codes and identification cards and were required to wear wristbands.
At one point, attendees were instructed to walk in single file past two Secret Service officers carrying rifles.
The suspect in the April shooting, identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States.
He was arrested by agents just before reaching a staircase leading to the ballroom where the dinner was about to begin.
Other attendees included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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