The White House Correspondents’ Association has set a July 24 date for a redo dinner after the annual event was violently interrupted in late April by an assassination attempt on President Trump.
“The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has served as a celebration of a free press and the vital role of journalism in our democracy for over a century. 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 Tuesday to WHCA members. “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.”
“Rescheduling was not automatic. It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members,” Jiang’s statement continued. “I want to thank board members for the time and care they brought to this decision, particularly on the security front. The event will feature significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures. We will share additional details directly with attendees.”
As of this writing, the redo dinner’s program and venue have yet to be revealed.
On April 25, this year’s WHCA Dinner was interrupted by gunshots near the main security screening entrance of the event, which was being held at the Washington Hilton hotel. The shooter, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested while armed. One officer on site was hit in his bulletproof vest by one of Allen’s bullets and was subsequently admitted to a hospital before being released.
The event was noteworthy for being the first WHCA dinner Trump had attended while in office as president.
In a manifesto later acquired and attributed to Allen by federal officials, the shooter described himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and stated his intent to shoot multiple members of the Trump administration. He never explicitly named the president himself as a target, but strongly hinted in the manifesto that he intended to assassinate Trump.
After his arrest, Allen was slammed with four criminal charges, including attempting to assassinate a United States president. If convicted, he faces life in prison. Allen pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him on May 11.
FBI Director Kash Patel faced intense scrutiny and questions in the days following the April 25 incident about the security at the WHCA Dinner. Other political pundits, like “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough, called for a complete rethinking of how the annual event is planned, held and attended.
In her statement Tuesday, Jiang extended her thoughts to the officer who received hospital care after the April 25 shooting and everyone else who was subjected to the traumatic chaos of the night.
“Our thoughts remain with the officer who was injured and with everyone who experienced that evening,” Jiang said. “We are indebted to the U.S. Secret Service, law enforcement and the hotel staff whose swift response protected our guests and our staff.”
The WHCA president revealed that those who attended the April 25 event will not have to pay to attend the July 24 redo, if that is what they choose to do.
“In the weeks since the last dinner, we have raised funds to ensure WHCA members who purchased tickets will not have to pay if they attend the second event, which will be a more intimate gathering,” Jiang noted. “We will also offer financial support to our scholarship winners for travel back to Washington. They, along with our journalism award winners, deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to reporting.”
“This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program,” Jiang concluded. “It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above.”
