Neither the president nor the comedian attended the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but the journalists and the First Amendment remained in place.
The low-key celebrations reflected the somber mood in Washington at the start of President Donald Trump's second term, which has cracked down on the press on multiple levels and taken away the association's power to decide which media outlets have the most access to him.
Mr. Trump's deeper involvement in politics began after then-President Barack Obama mocked the New Yorker's ambitions at a correspondents' dinner in 2011. Mr. Trump skipped the gala in his first term, and his absence this year was expected.
The association pulled out of a planned appearance by comedian Amber Ruffin at the dinner after she called the new administration a “bunch of killers” on a podcast last month.
The nonprofit organization, which supports White House journalists in providing comprehensive coverage of the presidency, has decided to eschew the event's traditional frivolity and focus on celebrating journalism.
The association's president, Eugene Daniels, wrote in a letter to the organization's 900 members last month that the purpose of the dinner was “to celebrate the journalistic excellence and the reliable, independent media that covers one of the most influential offices in the world.”
The event, which raises money for journalism fellowships, remains a major fixture on the Washington social calendar. The ballroom at the Washington Hilton was still filled with journalists, news personalities, and even a few celebrities.
“We have been tested and attacked,” Mr. Daniels told the audience. “But every day our members come to the White House — by plane, by train, by car — with one goal: to hold those in power accountable.”
He later showed a video of former presidents from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden speaking at the dinner, saying the association was inviting the president to emphasize the importance of a free press in defending democracy.
Mr Trump changed the final dinner program during his first term, staging a rally to rival the 2019 event before the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 dinner.
This year, he had just returned from Pope Francis' funeral in Rome and had no events planned for Saturday evening.
The Trump administration has faced multiple conflicts with the press in recent months. The FCC is investigating a number of media companies, the administration is working to shut down Voice of America and other state-run media outlets, and the Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against the administration for restricting access to events
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
