The event took place three months after the first attempt to hold it was interrupted by an assassination attempt.
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“This place is truly the largest group of people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome ever assembled at one time,” Trump told media representatives at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington.
The 80-year-old president began quite peacefully, recalling the attack by an armed assailant that forced his hasty evacuation from the gala dinner in April.
“The show must go on,” Trump said.
However, he quickly moved on to attacks against a multitude of alleged enemies. In his speech, which was often rambling, he started with journalists and later turned his fire on Democratic opponents.
Earlier, Trump raised his hands and laughed as he greeted the team from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which had published articles about his ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Later, as journalists received awards for their reporting on the Republican’s second term, Trump joked: “It hasn’t been an easy evening, all these awards.”
Trump also revived talk of a possible third term, which is prohibited by the US Constitution, though he claimed he was joking.
“Like my presidency, the second time is always better. And the third time is even better,” Trump said, adding: “I’m just kidding.”
He later escalated the situation further, pulling out a red hat with “Trump 2028” written on it and saying he was “pleased to announce my intention – and this is kind of a sensation – my intention to run for a fourth term as President of the United States.”
Much of Trump’s speech seemed like a rehash of his campaign rallies. The president even jokingly chided his speechwriters when certain lines didn’t resonate.
However, he concluded his hour-long speech by stating that he had “immense respect” for the journalists in the room, adding: “When I’m gone, you’ll all go bankrupt.”
Discord
Trump, who attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time after years of feuding with the press, added that he plans to attend next year as well.
He returned on Friday under heightened security, three months after an alleged assassination attempt led to his chaotic evacuation from the event at the Washington Hilton hotel, where shots were fired. The formal White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner was then canceled and has now been re-staged.
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Cole Allen, a 31-year-old California resident, pleaded not guilty to charges related to the April incident, including attempted assassination of the president.
This time, the US Secret Service took no chances. Police and National Guard officers blocked off nearby streets and erected a large security barrier, although arriving guests were only superficially checked.
The venue was changed from the Hilton to the Waldorf Astoria – a former Trump hotel. This resulted in a much smaller and “more intimate” celebration, according to the organizers.
“Let’s try again,” said CBS correspondent Weijia Jiang, the outgoing WHCA president who presided over the previous dinner.
“Our message tonight is: we are back. We will not be intimidated. We will not let an act of violence have the last word,” she said.
WHCA President-elect Jacqui Heinrich said the event would return to the Washington Hilton next year.
“Threat Landscape”
US Secret Service Director Sean Curran was seen standing in the foyer, observing arriving guests, an AFP journalist saw.
Guests waited in a long line to show a QR code and ID on their way to the atrium where the dinner was held.
In addition to Trump’s speech, the delayed dinner featured mentalist and magician Oz Pearlman, and honored a Secret Service agent who helped stop the suspected assailant in April.
Curran, the head of the Secret Service, defended the security at the original event, telling reporters that “it worked, the system worked.” He maintained that the barrier prevented the suspected assailant from reaching the main hall in April.
However, Curran, who was next to Trump when a killer’s bullet hit the Republican in the ear at a 2024 election rally, said that the current threats to top US officials are incredible.
“The threat landscape and environment are the highest I have ever seen,” Curran added.
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