About 520 former or retired journalists and eight press-freedom groups urged the White House Correspondents’ Association to publicly confront President Donald Trump at Friday’s rescheduled dinner in Washington.
Their letter says the administration’s attacks on press freedom have worsened since April, pointing to Justice Department subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters over coverage of security concerns tied to Qatar’s gifted Air Force One jet.
The signatories also cited subpoenas for reporters’ phone records that reached a reporter’s mother and two spouses, along with Trump’s threats to revoke broadcasters’ licenses.
Friday’s smaller dinner at the Waldorf Astoria will take place under heightened security after the original April event was cut short by a gunman prosecutors say was trying to assassinate Trump.
Trump says he will attend, calling the rescheduled event a sign of “Strength and Fortitude,” and has left open whether he will deliver the same speech expected to attack the press.
When the government subpoenas reporters' families, how can journalism's watchdog role survive?
Is using federal agencies to pressure advertisers and broadcasters a new form of government censorship?
Under Fire: The 2026 WHCA Dinner, Trump’s Systematic Assault on the Press, and the Fallout from an Assassination Attempt
Overview
The White House Correspondents' Dinner in April 2026 was abruptly canceled after an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, causing chaos and a rapid security response. The attacker, Cole Tomas Allen, traveled across the country with the intent to target the President and administration officials, leading to an immediate evacuation. A Secret Service officer was saved by a bulletproof vest during the incident. This violent event triggered a comprehensive investigation and forced the dinner to be rescheduled, shaping a tense atmosphere for the July 2026 event and highlighting ongoing concerns about political violence and press freedom.