Former President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) for the first time on 25 April, marking a significant departure from his previous stance of shunning the high-profile event. The dinner, which serves as a light-hearted celebration of journalism and the First Amendment, has seen Trump boycotting since he took office, a streak he broke this year as he prepares to take the stage amidst a flurry of anticipation and pointed remarks from his inner circle.
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Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of the former president, has indicated that he is taking the upcoming dinner seriously. She suggested that he has been collaborating with joke writers to develop an entertaining roast aimed at the journalists present. “He’s there to have a good time,” she stated on the podcast Citizen McCain, emphasising that the occasion is a “full-circle moment” for Trump. She referenced how the disparaging jokes directed at him during the 2011 WHCD may have contributed to his ambitions for the presidency, saying, “A lot of people like to get under the surface and say, ‘Oh, I think the reason Donald Trump actually ran is because of the Obama joke at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner all those years ago.’”
The WHCD has a long tradition of featuring a comedian to roast the sitting president, who would then have an opportunity to reciprocate with jokes aimed at the media and in attendance. However, this year, in a bid to break from convention, the event will feature a mentalist, Oz Pearlman, as the entertainment instead of a traditional comedian. This unexpected move means that while Trump is preparing to deliver a sharp set of jokes, he will not face the customary roasting in return.
Trump’s history with the dinner has been complex. While he has attended in the past, notably as a guest in his roles as a businessman and television personality, his relationship with the event has been strained during his presidency. Since becoming the first sitting president to skip the dinner in 2017, Trump’s disdain for the media has been well documented, leading to questions about how he would fare in an environment where he will be the focal point of comedic attention, albeit without reciprocal jabs from a comedian.
After several years of avoiding the gathering, the former president announced his attendance on 2 March via a post on Truth Social. He declared, “The White House Correspondents Association has asked me, very nicely, to be the Honoree at this year’s Dinner,” and ambitiously stated, “it will be my Honour to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”
As anticipation builds around the WHCD, Lara Trump cautioned attendees to expect a no-holds-barred performance from her father-in-law. “I think everyone should get ready because he’s going to do some roasting, and we know that he doesn’t hold anything back,” she added, mentioning that he has enlisted the help of “great people” for comedic material, further increasing expectations of an engaging evening.
The atmosphere leading up to the dinner hints at a blend of excitement and apprehension from journalists set to face Trump on stage. Lara Trump acknowledged that her husband, Eric Trump, and other members of the Trump family would also be present, making the event a family affair, further spotlighting the dynamics at play during the evening.
As the date approaches, the former president’s return to the WHCD after years of absence will be closely monitored, with many eager to see how the balance of humour will play out in a setting traditionally dominated by comedians. With a mentalist at the helm and Trump poised to deliver a performance that may draw as much ire as laughter, the dinner is destined to be a notable event in the political calendar, one that could set the stage for future engagements between the media and the Trump family.
Overall, the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner is shaping up to be a memorable occasion, particularly for a president who has spent recent years grappling with the national press. It promises to blend Trump’s trademark bravado with a desire for repartee, ultimately challenging both the norms of the event and the rapport between the presidency and the media.