Trump delivers meandering speech at rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner, attacks journalists

A rescheduled event

Three months after a gunman fired shots into the original dinner at the Washington Hilton, the White House Correspondents' Association reconvened the event at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. The hotel, once the Trump International Hotel, hosted a stripped-down gathering on Friday, July 24, 2026. President Donald Trump, who was evacuated in April, told the audience, "As I said three months ago, the show must go on."

A meandering speech and stony silence

Trump's address lasted one hour and two minutes. He meandered through jokes, rally staples, and grievances. The crowd of journalists and administration officials gave a muted reception; many jokes landed in silence. At about 45 minutes, attendees began glancing at their phones and shifting in their seats; Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, was spotted yawning. Trump's monologue included a complaint about the Academy Awards being too anti-Trump, an explanation of why he answers reporters' phone calls, and his tally of front-page stories in The New York Times.

Jokes, insults, and a Nicki Minaj punchline

Trump turned the April gunfire into a joke about rapper Nicki Minaj, a vocal ally. "After hearing the gunshots, many people yelled, 'Get down! Get down!' which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking," he said, weeks after calling her "so hot" at a White House lunch. He also mocked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: "I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy personally ran over the cow in his car." Personal insults targeted CNN's Kaitlan Collins ("she never smiles"), former House Intelligence chair Adam Schiff ("pencil neck"), and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie's weight. Illinois governor JB Pritzker's weight and California governor Gavin Newsom's mental acuity were also ridiculed.

I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloin. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who's right here, personally ran over the cow in his car.

Press tensions and the shadow of subpoenas

The dinner's backdrop was the Trump administration's escalating conflict with the media. Just the day before, the Justice Department withdrew subpoenas that sought phone records and grand jury testimony from New York Times reporters who had covered security gaps on the Qatari-donated Air Force One. A federal judge had criticized the government's handling of the case. At the dinner, Trump sat expressionless as prizes were handed to journalists whose work had been critical, then shook hands with winners including the Times' Tyler Pager, CNN's Kaitlan Collins, and the Wall Street Journal's Josh Dawsey. Later he called the gathering "the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time."

Trump's view of the media and future runs

Trump reflected on his press strategy: "I always find that when you don't speak to the press, you always get a bad story. When you do speak to the press, you have a shot at a good story." He also briefly revived talk of serving beyond the constitutional two-term limit. Pulling out a red "Trump 2028" cap, he announced, "I'm pleased to announce my intention to run for a fourth term," then added, "I'm only kidding." The president closed his speech without acknowledging the Pentagon press corps, even as his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, sat in the room while his department fought to evict reporters.