United States President Donald Trump is set to return to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday under heightened security, three months after an alleged assassination attempt forced the cancellation of the annual event.
The rescheduled dinner comes after gunshots were fired outside the original venue at the Washington Hilton in April, prompting Secret Service agents to evacuate the president and suspend the black-tie gathering before Trump could deliver his planned remarks.
Authorities have charged Cole Allen, a 31-year-old California man, with several offences, including attempting to assassinate the president. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Determined to prevent a repeat of the April incident, the US Secret Service has implemented extensive security measures around the event, closing several streets in Washington and establishing a broad security perimeter.
The dinner has also been relocated from the Washington Hilton to the Waldorf Astoria, a hotel previously owned by Trump, resulting in a smaller and more intimate gathering, according to organisers.
Although Trump was expected to deliver a sharply critical speech targeting the media at the original event, it remains unclear whether he will adopt the same tone during Friday’s address.
“In April, President Trump promised to finish the job and plan another WHCA Dinner, and today, he will deliver on that promise,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“We look forward to a great and fun evening celebrating 250 years of American greatness and a free press,” she added.
The President of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), Weijia Jiang, said when announcing the rescheduled event in June that the association was determined not to allow the attempted attack to define the occasion.
“We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word,” she said.
Following the April incident, Trump briefly praised members of the media for proceeding with plans to reschedule the dinner, describing the decision as a demonstration of “strength and fortitude.”
However, the president has also suggested that he may still use the platform to criticise sections of the press.
“I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out,” Trump said in June while confirming his attendance.
“In any event, it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket!”
Trump’s appearance at the dinner in April marked his first attendance at the event during either of his two terms in office, despite his long-running criticism of media organisations, which he has frequently described as the “enemy of the people.”
In addition to the president’s speech, the rescheduled programme will feature a performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman.
Organisers also plan to honour a US Secret Service agent who helped stop the alleged attacker during the April incident despite being struck in the protective vest, as well as recognise members of staff at the Washington Hilton for their response during the emergency.
Responding to criticism over the security breach in April, Secret Service Director Sean Curran defended the agency’s actions, saying the security system functioned as intended.
“It did work, the system worked,” Curran told reporters on Wednesday, noting that security personnel successfully prevented the alleged gunman from reaching the main hall where guests had gathered.
Curran, who was also by Trump’s side when the president survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in 2024, warned that threats against senior US officials remain at exceptionally high levels.
“The threat picture and environment is as large as I’ve ever seen it,” he said.
