The White House Correspondents' Dinner, held at the Washington, D.C., Hilton, drew notable figures but was skipped by President Donald Trump and his administration. The annual event, which funds journalism supporting White House coverage, is known for its mix of humor aimed at presidents, and gatherings of celebrities, media leaders, and luminaries.
Trump, absent from the dinner since 2015 and during his first term, did not attend. He and First Lady Melania Trump were at Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome on April 26, 2025. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also declined to attend.
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Breaking tradition, the April 26 dinner featured no comedian headliner. The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) rescinded Amber Ruffin’s invitation after White House staff criticized her remarks against the Trump administration. WHCA President Eugene Daniels, in a March note to colleagues, said the decision aimed to keep the focus on honoring journalists’ work and supporting scholarships, not political division, during a critical time for journalism.
Attendees included Lynda Carter, iconic as Wonder Woman from the 1970s TV series, actress Alex Borstein of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Family Guy, and Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary.
Journalists, government officials and celebrities are gathering Saturday for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington D.C. President Trump will not be attending the dinner, which has been held at the Washington Hilton for 57 years. https://t.co/V54SRksSX4 pic.twitter.com/VUjPYz1o6T
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) April 27, 2025
After presenting awards to journalists, Daniels addressed threats to journalism and thanked past U.S. presidents who attended the dinner. “We don’t invite presidents to cozy up or curry favor,” he said. “We invite them to remind them that they should be.” Highlighting Trump’s absence, Daniels showed a video montage of prior presidents at the event, including Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan.
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