President Donald Trump to attend rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner as press groups urge the administration to defend media freedom.
President Donald Trump will attend the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel this Friday. The event was moved from the Washington Hilton following a gunman's attempt to assassinate President Trump in April. Ahead of the dinner, eight press freedom groups and hundreds of retired journalists signed a letter urging the White House Correspondents’ Association to stand up to the administration’s recent attacks on the media. The letter highlights recent subpoenas issued by the Justice Department to New York Times journalists and threats by President Trump to revoke licenses of broadcasters who do not comply with his demands. While President Trump described the rescheduled event as a sign of "Strength and Fortitude," he remains undecided on whether he will deliver his original speech, which was expected to be critical of the press. Critics have already begun to analyze his previous performances, with some noting that while he is capable of humor, his recent speeches have been described as mean-spirited by some observers.