Trump Roasts the Media at WHCA Dinner, Then Trolls

President Donald Trump finally bought to ship his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech as president Friday night time, three months after a gunman introduced the authentic event to a terrifying halt.

Trump combined a tribute to law enforcement with an prolonged roast of the press, Democrats, and celebrities. He capped it by pulling out a purple “Trump 2028” hat and joking that he deliberate to run for a fourth time period.

The rescheduled dinner was held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., with heightened security and a smaller visitor record. The April 25 event at the Washington Hilton ended after an armed man charged a security checkpoint and opened fire, forcing Trump and other administration officers to evacuate.

Surveillance photos later confirmed the suspect charging the checkpoint with a shotgun as Secret Service officers responded.

Trump opened by returning to the message he delivered after the assault: “The show must go on.”

.@POTUS: “I am delighted to be here at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner… as I said 3 months ago, the show must go on… but just like my presidency, the second time is always better — and a third time will be better yet.” 🔥😂 pic.twitter.com/oCNMIMehVr

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

“I am delighted to be here at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Amazing people. A lot of people that I like, some I don’t like at all, but I respect most of them. I must say that you do a great job, amazing job, and it’s an honor. As I said three months ago, the show must go on. But just like my presidency, the second time is always better, always better, and the third time will be better yet. I’m only kidding.”

Trump called the assault “an assault on our democracy itself,” and said political variations must be settled through debate relatively than violence.

He praised War Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and border czar Tom Homan for standing on tables as the gunfire erupted.

“Most of you were under the tables,” Trump told the reporters.

Then got here the punchline.

.@POTUS: “After hearing the gunshots, many people yelled, ‘GET DOWN! GET DOWN!’ Which caused @NICKIMINAJ to start twerking, do you believe it?” 😂 pic.twitter.com/egFP9a6nRS

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

After listening to the gunshots, many people yelled, “Get down! Get down!” which brought on Nicki Minaj to start twerking. Do you consider it?…She’s the only one who understood what that meant…She’s right here tonight. I hope she doesn’t thoughts that I said that.

Trump also discovered a method to work the tried assassination into a joke about the state of the media.

“Your lives were really in danger the last time,” Trump said. “But on the plus side, your careers were saved.”

The president reserved his most critical remarks for Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales, who confronted the gunman and was struck in the chest. His ballistic vest saved his life. Gonzales acquired the WHCA President’s Award for Exceptional Service, and a standing ovation from the ballroom.

“To Officer Gonzales, Secret Service, Metropolitan Police, law enforcement generally, and even all of the military surrounding us in the room tonight, we salute you, and we thank you with all of our hearts,” the president said.

With that, Trump turned to the roast. He said his authentic speech had been “a doozy” and that he had been ready to “rip” the assembled journalists before the assault modified the tone of the night time.

Read More: New Images Show Trump WHCA Gunman Charging Checkpoint, As USSS Agent Returns Fire

Not fully.

“This place is really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time,” Trump said.

He claimed he receives 93 % damaging coverage and criticized a number of of the journalists sitting in entrance of him. GWN’s Kaitlan Collins, who had acquired an award earlier in the program, took fire. So did Jake Tapper, whom Trump mocked for ready until long after the 2024 presidential debate to report on Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.

Trump then moved exterior the media tables.

Sen. Adam Schiff of California (D-CA), who led the first impeachment effort against Trump while serving in the House, was among the night time’s political targets. Trump revisited the impeachment battle and unloaded on one of his longest-running Democratic adversaries as the ballroom appeared on.

.@POTUS: “They thought about going with a professional clown for entertainment, but Adam Shifty Schiff was not available.” pic.twitter.com/xP2ZxH3bXi

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss also bought pulled into the act.

.@POTUS: “A once feared and powerful regime that relentlessly attacked America has finally been toppled. Their former leaders have been removed and they’re now being run by a gay dictator facing internal divisions. But I for one wish Bari Weiss all the best at CBS News.” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/tlE0i7Wwbc

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

Trump singled out Weiss as he labored his method through the media figures in the room, prompting the digicam to cut to others’ reactions.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was not spared either. Trump joked that Kennedy had personally sourced the dinner’s beef tenderloin.

.@POTUS: I hope everybody bought to take pleasure in their scrumptious beef tenderloin, and I would like you all to know that @SecKennedy personally ran over the cow in his car and cut it up, and introduced it right here for you to eat tonight, so it’s extremely contemporary. And Bobby also advised an appetizer that includes… pic.twitter.com/vwTlszofaZ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

“I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire, very delicious beef tenderloin, very special beef. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who’s right here, personally ran over the cow with his car. And he cut it up, and he brought it here for you to eat tonight. So it’s very fresh. Bobby also suggested an appetizer featuring his favorite cut of male raccoon roadkill, but we drew the line at that.”

That drew one of the night time’s greatest laughs.

One of Trump’s ready jokes didn’t go over fairly as properly. Rather than merely transfer on, he turned on the speech itself.

Does anyone get that? I believed that was truly fairly good. That was truly the only factor I believed was good in this complete freaking silly speech. The only good one, and that went down with not precisely great laughter.

Trump briefly shifted away from the jokes to focus on Iran, claiming the nation’s army had been devastated and that Tehran was now speaking with the United States about a doable deal. He said any settlement would require Iran to stay without a nuclear weapon.

The president later recalled being roasted by former President Barack Obama during the 2011 dinner, an look that has long been linked to Trump’s eventual determination to enter politics.

.@POTUS recounts the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner: “You know, it’s amazing how things work out. [Obama] actually showed a picture of the White House with a big ‘Trump’ on top, like I put a sign—and you know, I’m sort of doing that when you think about it, right?” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/KqgGkzpyqf

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

“I have watched this clip thousands of times,” Trump said. “They keep playing it because they think that was the evening I decided to run for president. It was not. In fact, I loved the evening.”

He said the consideration satisfied him that the dinner had gone properly for him, regardless of Obama’s intentions.

Near the end, Trump returned to the press. He predicted that news organizations would wrestle once he left workplace because their audiences would have no person practically as fascinating to observe.

Then he reached for the hat.

“That’s why tonight, to show just how much I care about the press, and I want to save your ratings, I’m pleased to announce my intention to, and this is somewhat of a scoop, my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States. I will be doing that. I won three times. Now I’m going to do it again.”

Trump put on the “Trump 2028” hat and continued the bit.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JWV609AiBS

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 25, 2026

“It should be easy,” he said. “I’m getting very good at running for president now.”

Trump closed by telling the journalists that he revered their career, even if he didn’t consider they always handled him pretty. He also promised to return for the 2027 dinner, with one condition.

“Now, if you get really, really nasty, maybe not,” Trump said. “But we’re going to be back next year.”

UPDATED: You can watch the full speech, beginning at 2:27:13, in the video below:

President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at Waldorf Astoria at 8:55 p.m. ET on July 24. https://t.co/p2ACHI53JA

— NTD News (@NTDNews) July 24, 2026

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