After gunshots shut down and postponed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner earlier this year, the event was finally rescheduled to this week, and Americans will be able to watch live as it happens.
“When gunfire interrupted this year’s event, it further clarified the WHCA’s mission to advocate for the freedoms that are protected in the First Amendment,” WHCA President Weijia Jiang wrote in a letter to members last month.
“We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for.”
Here’s everything you need to know in order to watch.
Is the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on TV or streaming?
You can watch live coverage of arrivals and speeches at the dinner on C-SPAN beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Will there be increased security after the shooting?
Yes, there will. In her letter announcing the rescheduled dinner, Jiang wrote that “the event will feature significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures. We will share additional details directly with attendees.”
Is Trump still going to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
The White House did indeed confirm that President Trump will be attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“Alongside all of you members of the media, the president looks forward to finishing what he started before a despicable assassination attempt derailed the original event back in April,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday.
What is the White House Correspondents’ Association?
The White House Correspondents’ Association is an independent organization that represents journalists covering the president and the White House. Per their official website:
“The WHCA functions as the go-between for the nearly 900 WHCA members (from nearly 300 news organizations of all kinds across the U.S. and the world) and the White House – to fight for the broadest access to officials, policies, events and trips and the smoothest logistics and operations.”
Doesn’t Trump dislike the media?
Most days, yes, the president makes his complaints with journalists fairly well known. In fact, he does it so often than more than 500 journalists have called on the White House Correspondents’ Association to confront President Donald Trump on Friday over his continued attacks on the free press.
“Since the first dinner was canceled in April, President Trump has escalated his attacks on journalists and news organizations,” Lisa Stark, a former ABC News correspondent who helped organize the message, said in a statement to TheWrap. “The WHCA cannot normalize this behavior.”
