President Donald Trump issued a rallying cry for national unity during an impromptu press conference at the White House, moments after a gunman targeted the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. 'In light of tonight's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts to resolving our differences peacefully,' the president stated.
Press Conference Details
Most journalists had hastily arrived from the Hilton hotel, where the dinner was being held just over a mile away, many still dressed in formal black tie and ball gowns. Trump praised the unity displayed at the event, noting, 'This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press… and in a certain way it did. I saw a room that was totally unified. In one way, it was a very beautiful thing to see.'
Response to the Attack
The president commended the 'tremendous amount of love and coming together' in the aftermath of the shocking incident, which resulted in a Secret Service member being shot. 'You had Republicans, Democrats, Independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives. There was a record-setting group of people. And there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together. I watched and I was very impressed by that,' Trump remarked.
Context of Trump's Attendance
Trump's attendance at the Saturday dinner marked his first as president, highlighting his administration's often-contentious relationship with the press. He arrived to a gathering where leaders mingled with celebrities and journalists, sparking debate about the appropriateness of socializing between reporters and their sources. The First Lady watched from the sidelines as Trump addressed reporters, with the president noting the incident had been 'traumatic' for his wife, Melania.
Past presidents have used the dinner to speak on free speech and the First Amendment, often including lighthearted roasts of individual journalists. The Republican president did not attend during his first term or the first year of his second. He previously attended as a guest in 2011 and as a private citizen in 2015. Trump entered the banquet hall to 'Hail to the Chief,' greeting prominent journalists and pausing to laud White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt with a cheerful point.
This year, the event featured mentalist Oz Pearlman as the entertainment, a departure from the usual comedian roasts of the president.
