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President Donald Trump told the gathering of journalists and officials that the rescheduled dinner represented the largest collection of people afflicted with “Trump derangement syndrome” in one place, according to footage carried by C-SPAN. He added that sometimes he really does think some of those present do not like him, while noting the second time is always better in reference to the April event that ended abruptly. The White House had described the address as unifying yet pointed, a characterization echoed across live broadcasts from NBC News and PBS.
The April incident at the original dinner involved a gunman who opened fire near where Trump and others were seated, prompting an immediate halt to proceedings and leading to charges of attempted assassination against the suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen, PBS NewsHour reported. Trump referenced that disruption directly during his July 24 speech, stating he suspected some in the audience were lucky the last dinner was cut short because he was going to go after them. He stressed that Americans settle differences not with bullets but with open and vigorous debate, adding that no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that.
Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, welcomed attendees to the scaled-back event at the Waldorf Astoria and declared that the group refuses to let an act of violence have the final word, NBC News video coverage showed. The dinner, traditionally drawing more than 2,000 guests in past years according to association historical records, was limited to roughly 700 participants this time with enhanced security including QR code screenings, identification checks and National Guard presence. Jiang, a CBS News correspondent, also highlighted journalism as a public service where reporters run toward crises rather than away from them.
Attendees included several members of the Trump administration such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a participant list confirmed by Reuters live coverage. The evening included presentation of awards, among them recognition for The Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the Jeffrey Epstein case, C-SPAN broadcast footage indicated. Trump used portions of his remarks to praise most members of the media while maintaining criticism of what he termed fake news outlets.
The decision to reschedule for July followed extensive coordination between the association, law enforcement and the White House after the original Washington Hilton venue became the scene of the April shooting, The New York Times reported in advance coverage. Organizers implemented single-file entry protocols and heavier police deployments to manage risks at the Waldorf Astoria site. Association officials noted the event’s core purpose of celebrating press freedom and raising scholarship funds remained unchanged despite the adjusted format.
Trump’s appearance marked a notable return to the annual gathering, which he had largely avoided during previous terms amid longstanding tensions with the press corps, according to an archival review published by The Guardian ahead of the April attempt. In his address he reiterated respect for freedom of speech and the principle that debate must prevail, statements carried verbatim across multiple network replays. The speech drew mixed immediate reactions from viewers, with some commentators on MSNBC describing its tone as meandering while others noted its conciliatory elements on unity.
