Trump attends White House Correspondents' Dinner, his first as president

Update: President Trump was evacuated from the dinner unharmed after shots were fired outside the ballroom. Follow the latest here . Donald Trump's is attending Saturday's annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington for his first time as president, putting his administration's often-contentious relationship with the press on full public display. Also in attendance Saturday was Vice President JD Vance. Mr. Trump will be watched closely at the event held by the organization of reporters who cover him and his administration. Past presidents who have attended have generally spoken about the importance of free speech and the First Amendment, adding in some light roasts about individual journalists. First lady Melania Trump and President Trump attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. Mandel NGAN /AFP via The Republican president did not attend during his first term or the first year of his second. He came as a guest in 2011, sitting in the audience as President Barack Obama , a Democrat, made some jokes about the New York real estate developer. Mr. Trump also attended as a private citizen in 2015. Past dinners have also featured comedians who poke at presidents. This year, the group opted to hire mentalist Oz Pearlman as the featured entertainment. Mr. …