Trump Declines White House Correspondents’ Dinner Again

Former President Donald Trump has announced he will not attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on 26, continuing his tradition from his first term. In previous years, Trump skipped the event and instead held counter-programming like the “Fake News Awards,” aimed at highlighting media bias.

Tensions between Trump’s administration and the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) remain high. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently announced that the administration would take control of the press pool rotation, selecting which reporters cover presidential events. The Associated Press has also been removed from the pool after declining to support Trump’s push to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

The dinner itself has been criticized by conservatives for leaning left. Comedian Amber Ruffin, initially chosen to headline, was removed following backlash over her past political commentary. Trump officials, including Leavitt, questioned the event’s tone and have opted not to attend.

In a related development, CNN analyst Harry Enten reported that recent data shows a shift in political alignment — with Republicans now appealing more to working-class voters, while Democrats increasingly draw support from college-educated Americans.