‘Can they laugh at his jokes?’ D.C. correspondents might fear grilling from Trump at annual dinner
Reporters based by their news organizations in Washington, D.C., routinely grill President Donald Trump and his administration, sometimes asking wild and unreasonable questions.
In the Trump administration they’re often scolded when they hit extremes.
But now they very well could be in for some uncomfortable questions themselves, from the president himself.
It’s because for the first time in a decade, Trump has agreed to attend the White House correspondents’ annual dinner.
Leaders in that reporters’ troop in the past often have ridiculed Trump, and their guests have done the same.
Ex-President Barack Obama famously used the platform he was given there in 2011 to attack Trump.
JUST IN: President Trump Agrees to Attend His First White House Correspondents’ Dinner After Years of Snubbing Press – Says They “Now Admit That I am Truly One of the Greatest Presidents in the History of Our Country, the G.O.A.T.” https://t.co/duvmLDFfsA
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) March 3, 2026
President Trump says he will accept the invitation to be the honoree at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner: pic.twitter.com/YHSawLlndz
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 2, 2026
Trump historically has boycotted the annual event.
Officially, the White House Correspondents’ Association said its members are “happy” that Trump will attend this year’s event on April 25.
But the Washington Secrets column at the Washington Examiner raises some ideas that might be uncomfortable for those reporters, whose own politics often are far-left and are reflected in their reporting.
For instance, they have a “terrible dilemma.”
“Can they laugh at his jokes?”
The column explained, “It will be a tricky one for journalists who stake their reputations on standing up to Trump. Will they want to be captured on camera laughing at his jokes?”
One comment, from an anonymous member of the elite club, continued, “Then again, what are they even doing there if they reckon the president is destroying democracy and spreading war in the Middle East?”
The commentary asked, “In this case, how do they sit down for dinner with a president who has disparaged their role and limited access for news organizations that he doesn’t like? And will the president use his speech for revenge?”
And the column noted, “There is, however, a tantalizing possibility for major news to be made when the president shares the stage with the night’s main entertainment in the form of mentalist Oz Pearlman. Will we explore the depths of the president’s mind, finding out whether Trump actually has a plan for Iran; whether he prefers JD Vance or Marco Rubio; and what did he really think of the Melania movie.”
And then the showstopper, suggested by Raheem Kassam, Trump ally and editor in chief of the National Pulse.
“More important than any quips he might make, Trump could reprise his State of the Union moment where he asked Democrats to stand up if they believed in putting America first. Maybe he’ll invoke the ayatollah this time, and ask the D.C. press corps to stand up if they support the ouster of the mullahs.
“What a sight that would be.”
At the SOTU, Trump asked members of Congress to stand if they supported Americans over illegal aliens. Republicans responded with wild cheers and unanimous standing. Democrats refused, remaining sitting in their seats with glum faces.
Trump let the moment extend for minutes as cameras caught each of those Democrats declining to affirm support for Americas in video that already is being replayed over and over and over in campaign ads.