Trump returns to White House Correspondents' Dinner: Live updates, speeches and biggest moments

Instead of the usual comedian performance, the White House Correspondents' Association selected mentalist Oz Pearlman to headline the 2026 dinner entertainment.

Known as Oz the Mentalist, Pearlman is renowned for his ability to seemingly read people’s minds, and is expected to take his shot at reading those of President Donald Trump and journalist at the WHCA dinner this year.

Typically, a comedian is selected to bring some levity to the night where government officials and those who keep them accountable gather in the same room. Some previous performers include Colin Jost in 2024, Trevor Noah in 2022, Stephen Colbert in 2006, Conan O'Brien in 1995 and Jay Leno in 1987.

Pearlman told ABC News he believes his selection played a part in Trump’s decision to attend the dinner this year — claiming he was asked to “unite” rather than take potentially divisive stabs like what often happens with comedy. 

The mentalist first gained national attention as a finalist on NBC's America’s Got Talent, where he read the minds of audience members for his performance. He then went on to headline his own NBC television special called Oz Knows.

"My job is not to come in and roast,” Pearlman told ABC. “I don't think that's what I was brought in for. I think I was brought in to unite — unite in a sense of wonder and amazemen."

"I do things that blow you away, that you get to laugh, wow, gasp, and feel like you're a kid again."

Pearlman was part of a viral moment during the first go at the dinner earlier this year when gun shots rung out as he was huddled around First Lady Melania Trump and then-pregnant White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempting to predict the name of her unborn daughter.

As an Emmy award winner and New York Times bestselling author, Pearlman often appears on popular television shows and podcasts analyzing people’s brains, which he is expected to showcase at the WHCA dinner this Friday.

A lone protester and his bare-bones sign caught the attention of a photographer outside the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the WHCA Dinner will soon begin. 

The sign, which sports a blank white background, reads “LOSER” written in black marker. 

The sign is apparently directed towards President Donald Trump, who is attending the dinner for the first time during either of his presidencies.

At the first scheduled WHCA Dinner event in April, interrupted when a crazed gunman burst into the building and allegedly tried to kill Trump, saw some 75 protesters outside 

Guests continue to funnel into the event, which officially begins at 8:00 p.m. ET. Trump is expected to deliver remarks at 8:55 p.m.

UFC President Dana White’s went viral for how he reacted to a shooter causing mass chaos at the WHCA dinner in April. 

White, who attended the event as a guest of President Donald Trump and was sitting in the ballroom at the time of the alleged shooting, recalled the chaotic moments after gunfire erupted, forcing Secret Service agents to evacuate the president and other top officials while guests took cover.

He was seemingly unrattled by the entire situation, instead smiling as he looked around the room where guests where taking cover under the banquet tables. 

"It started getting noisy, tables started flipping over, guys running in with guns, and they were screaming 'Get down,'" White said to reporters on his way out of the dinner. "I didn't get down. It was f---ing awesome."

"I literally took every minute of it in, and it was a pretty crazy, unique experience."

White said he was seated near the head table when law enforcement rushed into the ballroom searching for the shooter. 

"Guys came in looking for shooters," he continued. "They came toward our table. I thought the shooter was over by us or something."

Despite the chaos, he described the ordeal as unlike anything he had ever experienced.

President Donald Trump will make his second appearance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner after this year’s event came to an abrupt end when gunfire struck.

The decision puts Trump back at a Washington ritual long tied to his fraught relationship with the press and political establishment. 

Trump announced he would attend this year’s dinner as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration. He did not attend during his first term due to a contentious relationship with the media at the height of coverage of the Russia investigation.

The banquet was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and revived in 2022 during President Biden’s administration. Trump also did not attend last year after retaking office for his second term.

His return also revives memories of the 2011 dinner, when President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked Trump after he had publicly proliferated birther conspiracy theories and called for the release of Obama’s birth certificate, which the State of Hawaii did release that year. He also attended the dinner in 2015, just months before launching his historic bid for president.

Speculation mounted that the jabs in 2011 helped fuel Trump’s eventual decision to run for president, culminating in a stunning upset victory in 2016. Trump has denied that remarks had anything to do with inspiring his presidential campaign.

Ahead of President Donald Trump's appearance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, hundreds of journalists signed an open letter urging the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to use the event to "forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump's efforts to trample freedom of the press."

The letter argues that Trump's attendance at the annual dinner "renders his presence at such an event a profound contradiction of its purpose" and calls on the WHCA to issue "a forceful defense of freedom of the press and condemnation of those who threaten that freedom," followed by a standing toast to the First Amendment.

The signatories include veteran journalists and former television news anchors, including Sam Donaldson, Dan Rather, John Harwood and Linda Zecherino, along with organizations including the Society of Professional Journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association and the Freedom of the Press Foundation.

Among the more recognizable names on the letter is former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, one of Trump's most prominent media antagonists, who earlier this year livestreamed for nearly 11 hours while awaiting the removal of Trump's name from the Kennedy Center and later compared the moment to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The man accused of opening fire at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner was identified as Cole Allen, 31.

A computer scientist from Torrance, California, Allen went from designing first-person shooter games to becoming an alleged shooter himself. 

According to court filings, the suspect boarded an Amtrak train on April 21 after purchasing a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to the nation's capital, stopping in Chicago to change trains but otherwise going straight coast-to-coast. While he rode eastward, prosecutors say he "kept a running note on his phone of his observations and thoughts during his cross-country train journey."

But those notes had nothing to do with Allen's alleged plan to commit the crime.

Rather, his musings along the way, in tandem with what he wrote in a later manifesto, paint a picture of an unfocused person whose thoughts were "scattered," as one former FBI behavioral analyst said, despite the gravity of the situation.

While he traveled through the U.S. southwest on the first leg of his trip, Allen made a note: "The southwest desert in spring Distant wind turbines looming like snowy mountains across the hazy NM desert."

Of Chicago, where he would switch trains and board a second train to his final destination, Allen wrote that, "Chicago is cool; kinda like an Iowa small town was scaled up to LA size."

And of the sliver of southwestern Pennsylvania through which he would pass, Allen wrote that the "woods are awesome (look like vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks in spring apparently."

Allen arrived in Washington, D.C. early in the afternoon on Friday, April 24. He spent about 30 hours in the city before initiating his alleged attack.

Surveillance video from the Washington Hilton hotel, also released by the Department of Justice (DOJ), showed Allen apparently pacing through hallways, once entering the hotel's fitness center and taking a look around before hastily exiting.

Minutes before the alleged attack, a pre-scheduled email from Allen was sent to his family and friends, explaining his actions, according to authorities. He allegedly acknowledged that his mission would likely severely harm him, but never stated he was willing to die for his cause. His motivations were political, and he painted himself as a savior of the oppressed.

He apologized profusely to family, friends and everyone he had come in contact with on his cross-country trek. He noted that there were certain people he hoped wouldn't be caught in the crossfire, and described himself as "friendly."

Allen pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

He is currently in federal custody pending trial.

A new award will honor the security present during the April dinner where a gunman allegedly attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump. 

The President’s Award for Exceptional Service to the WHCA will be presented to Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales and to the staff of the Washington Hilton to honor the security and care taken in the wake of the shooting.

Gonzales, a Marine Corps veteran, was the Secret Service officer at the security checkpoint at the time alleged gunman Cole Tomas Allen rushed the scene with a rifle and tried to break through into the ballroom where the dinner was taking place.

“The WHCA is deeply grateful that law enforcement officials prevented the armed suspect from entering the ballroom,” said Weijia Jiang of CBS News, who was the WHCA president presiding over the April dinner. “Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely."

Meanwhile, the staff of the Washington Hilton sprang into action to assist guests evacuating the premises as chaos erupted and the dinner was abruptly canceled. The kitchen staff also ensured that all 2,000 meals that were not yet served were collected and donated to local shelters. 

Both awards will be presented on Friday, as well as a salute to the First Amendment in 250 years of America, in conjunction to the usual awards honoring groundbreaking reporting, announcements of scholarship winners and remarks by both Trump and the headline entertainment from mentalist Oz Pearlman.

Secret Service is giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse inside the strategy to protect President Donald Trump and guests at Friday night's rescheduled White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner.

The event in April was done before it even started after a crazed gunman bolted through a security check point, and was later accused of trying to assassinate the 47th president.

"Our agency grows and adapts from every event we secure, and we have engaged with WHCA to ensure attendees are given timely information in the unlikely event on an emergency during the event," Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service's communications director, told Fox News Digital.

Those attending the dinner will enter the ballroom through a door separate from the main lobby and entrance of the hotel.

"Guests will see a visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel and there will be enhanced traffic closures due to proximity to major thoroughfares," Guglielmi said. "All ticketed guests will go through airport-style magnetometer screening to enter the event."

"Roads immediately around the hotel will be closed Friday evening, and specifics about closures will be communicated in the coming days."

Though this year marks President Donald Trump’s first time attending the WHCA dinner as president, Trump is no stranger to the evening celebrating top journalists and reporting.

His first time attending the WHCA dinner was in 1993 when Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter invited Trump, then a high-profile NYC real estate tycoon, to attend as a guest of the magazine. 

Again in 2011, when Trump had become a media personality, he was invited back as a guest of Lally Weymouth, whose family owned the Washington Post. This was also his most notable attendance before becoming president.

The now-president was most commonly known in 2011 as the host of his reality TV show “The Apprentice” on NBC, which earned him national recognition as the man who dubbed the "You're Fired" tagline. 

At the time, President Barack Obama was in office. The then-president used his time at the mic to hit Trump with jokes, particularly jabbing him for proliferating the birther conspiracy theory claiming that Obama was not born in the United States. 

Trump also attended the dinner in 2015 as a guest of Fox News, just weeks before announcing his first presidential campaign. He attended with Melania Trump as Obama again delivered remarks and Saturday Night Live’s Cecily Strong was the featured entertainer.

This was Trump's final appearance at the dinner before entering the White House. His first time attending the dinner as president was in April, when the dinner was foiled by a shooter.

President Donald Trump will be returning to the stage to deliver remarks at the rescheduled run of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on Friday, nearly three months after gunfire abruptly ended this year’s planned banquet.

Trump attended the first dinner in April after skipping the dinner during his first term due to a contentious relationship with the media at the height of coverage of the Russia investigation.

The dinner is expected to be a night of unity with an more intimate guest list amid recent threats to the president’s life.

"This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. 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," Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), said when the new date was announced.

Chaos struck out at the first banquet when an armed suspect, Cole Allen, stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president.

The incident prompted Secret Service agents to rush the president and first lady from the room as guests scrambled for cover, abruptly ending the dinner.

The WHCA will honor U.S. Secret Service Officer Gonzales during this week's dinner in recognition of his actions in helping stop an armed suspect from entering the ballroom, WHCA announced in a press release Tuesday.

Gonzales was at a security checkpoint when Cole tried to burst through at the Washington Hilton.

The White House exclusively confirmed to Fox News Digital a lineup of Cabinet officials and senior administration leaders who will attend the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner on Friday.

The list includes: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz are rounding out the most high-profile guests within Trump's team that will attend.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will be seated up at the front with the president, like last time.

While much of Trump's Cabinet will attend, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not be there despite attending the first try at the dinner in April.

A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital their absences are due to prior commitments.

The WHCA Dinner was rescheduled for Friday night after a gunman opened fire in an attempt to target President Donald Trump and his top officials at the event in late April. The annual dinner, usually held at the Washington Hilton, is designed to bring together journalists, government officials and media figures for one of Washington's highest-profile awards events celebrating the First Amendment.

What: White House Correspondents' Association Dinner and Awards

Who: Members of White House Correspondents' Association, journalists, government officials — including the president and members of his cabinet — prominent media figures and other invited guests

Where: The truncated version of the dinner was moved to the Waldorf-Astoria in the Old Post Office building, which was once home to a Trump International Hotel

When: Evening of Friday, July 24, 2026. The dinner traditionally begins with an arrival reception before the main program begins and dinner is served.

Why: The dinner serves as to celebrate the First Amendment and is the WHCA's signature fundraising event. It supports journalism scholarships while awarding excellence in White House coverage to journalists, reporters, photographers and producers. The dinner has long been an event that draws prominent figures from different fields — particularly politics, media and entertainment.

This past event, before being disrupted by a gunman, was President Donald Trump’s first-time attending the dinner as president. He previously attended as a guest.

The White House Correspondents Association began back in 1914, originating as a force to block President Woodrow Wilson when he threatened to end presidential news conferences. The WHCA’s mission has since expanded to continue ensuring the press has access to the president and White House in the name of protecting the First Amendment's freedom of the press.

With just 50 people, the first WHCA dinner was in May of 1921 at the Arlington Hotel. President Calvin Coolidge became the first sitting president to attend the dinner in 1924, beginning a tradition that has continued with most presidents today.

The dinner has now grown into one of the most recognizable annual events in Washington, D.C. Today, roughly 2,600 guests fill the ballroom each year, including mostly White House reporters, news executives, administration officials, members of Congress and celebrities trying to clinch their own ticket to "nerd prom."

While the evening is known for its high-profile attendees, celebrity red carpet appearances and comedy, its purpose remains rooted in celebrating the work of the White House press corps and the role of a free press in covering the presidency. It also works to bridge the current administration with members of the press and raises money for scholarships for those pursuing an education in journalism.

President Donald Trump had attended the dinner before entering politics, but skipped every White House Correspondents' Dinner during his first term. He returned to the event in April 2026, marking his first attendance as president. He is also expected to return to the rescheduled event on Friday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that President Donald Trump's remarks at tonight's White House Correspondents' Dinner will strike multiple tones.

"The President's speech will be a combination of unifying yet vicious, and serious yet hilarious, all at the same time, if you can imagine that," Leavitt said. "One thing I can assure you, it will be entertaining."

Trump is expected to deliver his first White House Correspondents' Dinner speech after the original April 25 event was postponed following an alleged attempted assassination.

President Donald Trump will be returning to the stage to deliver remarks at the rescheduled run of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on Friday. Here are the top five things to watch:

SECURITY

Chaos broke out at this year’s banquet when an armed suspect, Cole Allen, stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president.

Take two of the dinner will be a more intimate gathering as security concerns loom. Secret Service warned of a sharp rise in threat levels ahead of the dinner.

"We do expect bad people to show up. It's just a reality of where we are," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said. "But we're treating it no different than any other site that the president goes to."

TRUMP SPEECH

While it is unclear what the president will discuss in his remarks. Trump’s speech comes a week after he delivered an address to the nation focused on "free and fair" elections, announcing the declassification of critical intelligence that reveals.

During his address, he called out ABC and NBC for not broadcasting his remarks and called for their licenses to be revoked, accusing the networks of being part of a "plot" to "continue this fraud" and "protect the radical left."

Right after the shooting in April, Trump convened a press conference at the White House where he said he might need to take it easier on the press in his speech.

"I was all set to really rip it," Trump said of his speech planned for April. "And I said to my people, "This would be the most inappropriate speech ever made if I said one." So, I'll have to save it. I don't know if I could ever be as rough as I was going to be tonight."

"I think I'm going to be probably very nice. I'll be very boring the next time, but we're going to have a great event."

AWARDS

A special award will be given out to U.S. Secret Service Officer Gonzales in recognition of his actions in helping stop an armed suspect from entering the ballroom, WHCA announced in a press release Tuesday. Gonzales was at a security checkpoint when the gunman tried to burst through at the Washington Hilton.

This is in conjunction to the awards and scholarships that are typically awarded to WHCA members for excellence in White House coverage and to those pursuing degrees in journalism.

ENTERTAINMENT

Mentalist Oz Pearlman will return as entertainment for the guests. At April’s dinner he correctly guessed the name of White House Press Secretary’s daughter.

He was meant to give a performance, taking place of the typical remarks by a comedian, but was unable to complete that when the dinner shut down due to the shooter.

PROTESTORS

In April, roughly 75 protesters gathered outside the Washington Hilton carrying signs reading "No war on Iran" along with Palestinian flags and "free Gaza" chants as guests arrived.The U.S. recently resumed military operations against Iranian targets after lengthy negotiations over a memorandum of understanding with Iran collapsed.

After an unprecedented delay, the WHCA Dinner is back.

The annual event was originally scheduled for April 25, 2026, at the Washington Hilton but was cut short when gunfire erupted outside the room during the dinner. Secret Service agents evacuated President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and hundreds of high-profile guests.

Prosecutors say the suspect was attempting to assassinate the president.

Trump promised during a press conference at the White House that he called in the wake of the attack that he would make sure the dinner was rescheduled.

Now, they are gathering for a redo on Friday July 24, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue. Unlike previous years, the event will be a smaller gathering with enhanced security measures and new access procedures. Several guests who attended the first time, will not make it for the second.

Trump confirmed he will attend and deliver remarks, joking on Truth Social that he wasn't sure whether he would give the "same rather nasty statements" as originally planned for the dinner in April. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was pregnant while attending the dinner last time, will also attend.

First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among those who are not coming to finish the dinner they started in April.

WHCA President Weijia Jiang said that continuing to hold the dinner after a shooter interrupted the first one is intended to send a message that violence will not intimidate the press or change longstanding traditions.