President Donald Trump slipped on a red “Trump 2028” cap Friday night and announced he was running for a fourth term, drawing laughs from some in a room full of journalists he had spent much of the evening attacking.
“I’m pleased to announce my intention to, and this is somewhat of a scoop, my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States,” Trump said. “I will be doing that.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was held Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington. It was rescheduled from April, when a gunman opened fire at the original venue.
What We Know So Far
Trump told the assembled journalists their industry would collapse without him.
“You people have no idea how lucky you are,” he said. “When I’m gone, you’re all going to be broke. Your business model is going to be finished.”
He made jokes about running for a third term before the fourth-term announcement at the close of his speech.
“Just like my presidency, the second time is always better,” Trump said. “And the third time will be better yet.” He then added: “I’m only kidding.”
The dinner was held at a smaller venue than usual, with about 700 guests. Security was significantly tighter than in April. Guests entered through a single entrance, past two ID checks, a detection dog, armed officers, and security personnel. There was no red carpet and no cocktail reception.
Outgoing White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang of CBS News opened the evening with a direct reference to the April shooting.
“Tonight our message is this: We are back,” Jiang said. “We will not be intimidated. We refuse to let an act of violence have the final word.”
Two special awards were presented. One went to Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was struck in his protective vest during the April attack after placing himself in front of the gunman. A second went to the staff of the Washington Hilton, the site of the original dinner.
What Trump Said
Trump spent much of his speech targeting individual journalists and media figures.
He criticized CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, saying she “shouldn’t get the award” for her reporting, which he called fake.
“You’re at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person. Just smile, Kaitlan. Just smile,” Trump said. There were boos from parts of the audience.
He called out Wall Street Journal reporter Josh Dawsey.
“He’s been killing me for years,” Trump said. “And yet tonight he shakes my hand. He hugs me. He kills me.”
Trump said he liked Anderson Cooper but that Cooper “went bad” after Trump entered politics. He said he never liked Lawrence O’Donnell and suggested Don Lemon had the lowest ratings and lowest IQ on television.
He took a shot at Bruce Springsteen.
“What about Bruce Springsteen? What the hell happened to that guy? He looks like hell,” Trump said.
Trump also criticized Jane Fonda and Bette Midler for hosting a concert on the same night as the UFC fight at the White House on June 14.
He made jokes about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, and Rep. Ilhan Omar. Some of his comments drew criticism for flirting with racism, the Associated Press noted.
Trump praised the ballroom where the dinner was held.
“It’s great to be back at a place that I know very well, because I built it,” he said.
He also referred to the journalism awards presented earlier in the evening, most of them for stories that challenged his administration.
“Do I have a say in those awards?” he asked with a grimace.
What Authorities And Others Are Saying
Jiang thanked Trump for attending and acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the evening.
“Let’s try this again,” she told the crowd.
She described the White House press corps as people who “always have a follow-up.”
Incoming association president Jacqui Heinrich was also addressed by Trump, who called her a tough and sometimes nasty reporter before commenting on her appearance.
Trump then mentioned Heinrich’s husband, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate Republican from Pennsylvania.
“On occasion, he chose a little independence. We don’t like that,” Trump said.
Fitzpatrick voted against Trump’s budget legislation and twice voted to rebuke Trump over the Iran war, including on Thursday.
One of the award winners, New York Times reporter Tyler Pager, had been subpoenaed by Trump’s Justice Department over his reporting on Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. Those subpoenas were withdrawn Thursday in a New York courtroom, the Associated Press confirmed.
Kelly McBride, an ethics expert at the Poynter Institute, had previously raised concerns about the dinner itself.
“It undermines the public faith in how the press does its work, and it makes it look like we are pals with the people we cover,” McBride said.
Why This Matters
The dinner took place against a backdrop of escalating tension between Trump and the press.
In his second term, Trump has pursued a range of actions against media outlets he dislikes. Those have included sanctions against members of the White House press corps, regulatory actions through the Federal Communications Commission, and outright lawsuits.
The Constitution’s 22nd Amendment bars a president from serving more than two terms. Trump’s joke about a third and fourth term has no legal standing but reflected the same pattern of constitutional boundary-testing that has defined much of his presidency.
Trump ended his remarks with a gesture toward reconciliation.
“I have a lot of respect for your profession,” he told the journalists.
He then repeated his prediction about what would happen to them without him.
“When I’m not around, you’re all gonna be broke,” he said.
He offered a final verdict on the evening itself.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Trump said. “It’s far worse than I originally thought.”
Sources: AP; NBC
