Donald Trump agrees to attend the correspondents’ dinner after hearing journalists call him ‘the GOAT’ — except, they didn’t

President Trump has announced he will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time since his first term. He made the announcement in a Truth Social post, saying he would attend the event on Saturday, April 25. In his post, he claimed that White House journalists now recognize him as one of the greatest presidents in the nation’s history.

According to the Independent, Trump has skipped the dinner throughout his first term and into his second. In his post, he explained that he boycotted the event because the press was “extraordinarily bad” to him, calling them “FAKE NEWS ALL” from the very beginning. He also promised to make it the “GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”

The boycott traces back to the 2011 dinner, where Trump was roasted by then-President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers. Cameras caught him visibly upset as the two mocked the idea of him ever becoming president. Many reports suggest that night played a major role in solidifying his decision to eventually run for the White House. He last attended the dinner in 2015, just before his first inauguration, and stayed away from it entirely during his first term.

The dinner has a long history of celebrating press freedom and supporting journalism

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has organized this annual dinner since 1924. WHCA President Weijia Jiang said she was happy that Trump accepted their invitation, noting that for over a century, the association’s journalists have enjoyed an evening with the president. Trump has kept busy on other fronts too, and his habit of partying amid major world events has drawn attention in the past.

Jiang also pointed out that the dinner is more than just a social event. It celebrates the First Amendment and supports journalism through awards for excellent reporting and scholarships for aspiring journalists. 

These scholarships help train the next generation of reporters who will go on to cover the White House. The event has long been considered an important tradition for the journalism community in Washington.

The WHCA did not comment on Trump’s “G.O.A.T.” claim. Meanwhile, Trump has also been in the news for other political reasons, including his name surfacing in the Epstein investigation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the dinner news on social media, simply writing, “Will be fun!”