WH Spox To Skip WHCA Dinner

Karoline Leavitt

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has decided not to attend the upcoming White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner, scheduled for April 26, 2025, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. 

The decision marks a notable departure from tradition for a press secretary and aligns with a broader pattern of the Trump administration distancing itself from the event and the WHCA.

The WHCA dinner, a longstanding tradition since 1921, typically brings together journalists, politicians, and celebrities to celebrate the First Amendment and raise scholarship funds for aspiring journalists. This year’s event, headlined by comedian Amber Ruffin—the second Black woman to host after Wanda Sykes in 2009—continues that legacy. However, Leavitt’s decision comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape White House media relations. Since taking office in January 2025, her team has challenged the WHCA’s authority, notably by seizing control of the press pool in February 2025 and opening briefings to “new media” like podcasters and influencers, bypassing traditional outlets.

Leavitt, at 27 the youngest press secretary in history, has been vocal about adapting to a “new media landscape.” In her debut briefing on January 28, 2025, she criticized legacy media and introduced a “new media” seat in the briefing room, a move she reiterated in subsequent sessions. Her decision to skip the dinner could reflect both personal conviction and alignment with Trump’s media strategy, which prioritizes direct communication over engaging with what they view as a hostile press establishment. The administration’s recent actions—banning the Associated Press from the press pool and facing legal pushback—further underscore this tension.