President Trump delivers a rambling, joke-heavy speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
President Trump delivered a lengthy speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday night, which was characterized by many attendees as a rambling and often humorous performance. While the president acknowledged his own jokes were sometimes flat, he used the opportunity to attack journalists by name and repurpose old nicknames for political opponents. He praised the Secret Service and emphasized the importance of freedom of speech, noting that the country settles differences through debate rather than bullets. During the event, President Trump also highlighted his allies in the media and joked about the future of the news business. He acknowledged the fact that he is currently suing the Wall Street Journal for its reporting on a Jeffrey Epstein, despite the Journal being awarded for that very reporting. He wore a red "Trump 2028" hat during the speech, playfully trolling the constitutionally barred third term. Although some critics noted the speech was low energy, the president's allies will likely frame the silence of the audience as a sign of the media being stunned into submission.