It’s been a tradition for decades that the sitting president attends the White House Correspondents Dinner in which he is expected to poke a little fun at the opposition.
But not this year. President Trump continued his cold shoulder to the liberal media by announcing via Twitter yesterday that he will not attend.
The media freakout continues.
Here’s more from Breitbart…
Donald Trump said Saturday he will not attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, breaking with an annual tradition in which the US president is the guest of honor at a light-hearted roast held by journalists.
“I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!” Trump tweeted about the event, which is also heavily attended by celebrities.
The White House Correspondents’ Association, which organizes the dinner, insisted the April 29 event would still go on as planned as a “celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic.”
“We look forward to shining a spotlight at the dinner on some of the best political journalism of the past year and recognizing the promising students who represent the next generation of our profession,” WHCA president Jeff Mason, who covers the White House for Reuters, said in a statement.
The tradition, which dates back to 1921, sees a handful of journalism students receive scholarships each year.
Trump’s tweet came a day after he renewed his assault on the media by calling it “the enemy of the people,” in an ongoing battle in which he has labeled the fourth estate “fake news” and the “opposition party.”
On Friday, the White House also denied access to an off-camera briefing to several major US media outlets, including CNN, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and Politico.
Smaller outlets that have provided favorable coverage of the Trump administration, such as Breitbart and the One America News Network, received a green light to attend the so-called “gaggle” in White House spokesman Sean Spicer’s office.
