Trump WHCD speech turns tense at rescheduled correspondents’ dinner
Trump used the rescheduled WHCD to question the format, gripe about awards and criticize journalists by name, according to Variety.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
The Trump WHCD speech at Friday night’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner opened with uncertainty and quickly moved into familiar combat, according to Variety critic Daniel D’Addario.
President Donald Trump spoke at the annual gala on July 24, 2026, in the Presidential Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. The event, hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association, had been moved from its original April date after a security incident involving an armed man identified as Cole Tomas Allen, Variety reported.
Trump’s remarks were billed as a second chance at the address he had planned to give in April. Variety reported that he had previously promised to go after the press, but on Friday he initially appeared unsure what tone the dinner required.
What did Trump say at the WHCD?
“Let’s have a little bit of fun,” Trump said, according to Variety. “What do we do here? Is this supposed to be fun, am I supposed to be serious, am I supposed to be a comedian?”
Before that, Trump had complained about the awards portion of the evening, Variety reported. “This has not been an easy evening, all those awards,” he said. “Do I have a say?”
The awards had gone to journalists whose work covered his administration and, in Variety’s description, was adversarial to his interests. Later in the speech, Trump criticized CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Dawsey by name, according to the report.
Variety said Trump also referred to his approval rating during an address the outlet described as rambling. The speech included material on declining Oscars ratings and attacks on Chris Christie, Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda, according to D’Addario.
The president also recalled the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where then-President Barack Obama roasted him from the stage. Variety reported that Trump described the night as enjoyable because he had been the center of attention, although the outlet noted that this is not the way the event is widely remembered.
Why was the 2026 dinner rescheduled?
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an annual Washington event mixing press awards, political speeches and comedy. The 2026 dinner was pushed back after the April event was cut short following the security incident, Variety reported.
Friday’s redo had a more subdued backdrop than a typical dinner, according to Variety, which said the mood in the room was quiet during portions of Trump’s remarks. D’Addario wrote that Trump blamed unnamed joke writers when some lighter material failed to land, including jokes involving Nicki Minaj and Bari Weiss.
Variety also reported that Trump returned to older targets, including Rosie O’Donnell and awards shows. D’Addario framed the speech as a sign that Trump was leaning on familiar grudges as his public approval came under pressure.
Near the end, Trump jokingly suggested he would run for re-election in 2028, according to Variety. The outlet noted that the Constitution bars that bid.
The result, in Variety’s account, was an hour that mixed jokes, grievances and press criticism in front of an audience that did not give Trump the reaction he appeared to be seeking.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.