More than 250 journalists and press organizations have urged the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to confront President Donald Trump at this weekend's annual dinner, warning that his record toward the media makes his participation incompatible with the event's purpose.
In an open letter signed by prominent figures including Ann Curry, Sam Donaldson, and Dan Rather, the group called on the association to "forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump's efforts to trample freedom of the press."
The petition argues that the dinner, traditionally a celebration of journalism and the First Amendment, cannot proceed as usual given what they described as sustained pressure on the media:
"The dinner has long served as a symbol of the vital and irreplaceable role of a free press in American democracy and a celebration of the First Amendment and the journalists who uphold it. President Trump's systematic, sustained, and unprecedented attacks on the free press render his presence at such an event a profound contradiction of its purpose"
The signatories urged WHCA leadership to address the issue directly during the event. "Speak forcefully, in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country's long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press," the letter continued, adding that the evening "cannot be business as usual with the press standing up to applaud the man who attacks them on a daily basis."
The dinner, scheduled for Saturday, will mark Trump's first attendance as president after previously declining to participate during his first term and skipping last year's event. Organizers have already altered the format, removing the traditional comedian's roast, a decision that has drawn additional attention to how the evening will unfold, as The Independent points out.
The letter outlines a range of actions by the administration that it says amount to a broad campaign against the press, including "retaliatory access bans, coercive regulatory investigations, frivolous lawsuits against the press" and "personal verbal attacks on reporters."
The signatories wrote that these actions "represent the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president."
Recent disputes between the administration and media outlets have reinforced those concerns. The White House has restricted access for certain organizations and pursued legal action against major news outlets. At the same time, some media companies have faced scrutiny over their handling of disputes with the administration, including settlements and regulatory pressures tied to corporate transactions.
At least one outlet, HuffPost, has said it will boycott the dinner. Editor in chief Whitney Snyder said the publication would not "celebrate journalism and share laughs with a ruler who holds such a dreadful record."
The WHCA has not publicly detailed whether it will issue a statement during the event. The responsibility typically falls to its president, who delivers remarks focused on press access and First Amendment issues.
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