US President Donald Trump used the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner to criticize the media, reflect on an earlier assassination attempt, and revive talk of extending his political career beyond the constitutional two-term limit. Speaking at the event held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, Trump joked about serving a third term while wearing a “Trump 2028” cap, although he repeatedly said his comments were made in a humorous manner.
The dinner was originally scheduled months earlier but was disrupted after an alleged assassination attempt forced Trump’s evacuation and led organizers to cancel the event. Addressing the gathering, Trump briefly adopted a more serious tone, referring to the incident and saying, “The show must go on.” The rescheduled event was held under increased security, with authorities implementing extensive safety measures around the venue.
Trump later shifted to a more combative speech, criticizing journalists and Democratic opponents while accusing sections of the media of unfair coverage. He described the gathering as a large group of people affected by what he called “Trump derangement syndrome.” The president also joked about receiving criticism from reporters and made references to awards presented to journalists covering his administration.
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During the nearly hour-long address, Trump repeated campaign-style remarks and joked about his speechwriters when certain lines did not receive the expected response. He highlighted his previous presidencies and said, “the second time is always better,” before adding that a third time would be even better. Later, he displayed a red “Trump 2028” cap and jokingly announced an intention to run for another term despite constitutional restrictions.
The event marked Trump’s return to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after years of strained relations with many media organizations. He said he planned to attend future dinners as well, while ending his remarks by expressing respect for journalists in attendance. However, he also warned that they would face challenges after his departure, continuing the mix of criticism and humor that defined his speech.
Security remained a major focus at the gathering following the earlier attack. The US Secret Service and local authorities established a large security perimeter, with guests undergoing identification checks before entering the venue. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the current threat environment facing senior US officials was extremely serious, while defending security measures taken during the earlier incident. The White House Correspondents’ Association said the dinner would return to the Washington Hilton next year.
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