JournalismPakistan.com | Published 8 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ratcheted up his feud with the US media, announcing he will skip the annual correspondents' dinner one day after a row erupted over White House press access.
By skipping the April 29 event Trump breaks a tradition in which the US president is the guest of honor at a light-hearted roast held by journalists and studded with celebrities.
"I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!" Trump wrote on Twitter.
The White House Correspondents Association, which has organized the annual dinner since 1921 to raise money for journalism scholarships, said it would go ahead with the event as planned.
The dinner "has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment [on freedom of the press] and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic," WHCA president Jeff Mason tweeted.
Trump built his presidential campaign on criticizing the mainstream US press -- whose editorial boards overwhelmingly opposed his election -- and has intensified his rhetoric since taking office, routinely accusing the media of bias in overstating his setbacks and downplaying his accomplishments.
Trump's cancelation comes one day after the White House triggered widespread outrage by denying access to an off-camera briefing to several major US media outlets, including CNN and The New York Times.
Smaller outlets that have provided favorable coverage of the Trump administration, such as Breitbart and the One America News Network were allowed to attend the briefing by spokesman Sean Spicer.
The WHCA said it was "protesting strongly" against the decision to selectively deny media access, and would bring it up with the Republican administration.
The New York Times described the White House decision as "an unmistakable insult to democratic ideals," while CNN called it "an unacceptable development" and the Los Angeles Times warned the incident had "ratcheted up the White House's war on the free press" to a new level.
Hours earlier on Friday, speaking at the annual CPAC gathering of conservative activists and politicians, Trump slammed the mainstream US media as "the enemy of the people," and labeled the fourth estate "fake news" and the "opposition party." - AFP
November 11, 2025: JournalismPakistan announces 'Once Upon a Newsroom', a storytelling series celebrating Pakistanâs newsroom heritage, beginning with The Muslim, the now-defunct independent daily from Islamabad.
November 09, 2025: Pakistanâs media reels under layoffs, censorship, and union silence as journalists face attacks, fake news, and closures, deepening a nationwide media crisis.
November 08, 2025: JournalismPakistan.com launches its new tagline, Linking Journalism Worldwide, reflecting global expansion beyond Pakistan with Asia, World, and Middle East coverage.
November 08, 2025: Veteran journalist Javed Iqbal Jaidi passes away in Shorkot after a long illness. Friends remember his humor, humility, and lifelong dedication to journalism.
November 07, 2025: JournalismPakistan.com launches a Middle East section to expand regional reporting. New coverage will follow JPâs editorial SOPsâverification, balanced sourcing, and two-stage review.
November 07, 2025: Russia accuses Pakistanâs Frontier Post of anti-Russia bias; the paper defends press freedom and independence. A diplomatic clash over media narratives.
November 07, 2025: Veteran journalist Javed Chaudhry bids farewell to Express News after 18 years on Kal Tak, marking the end of an era in Pakistani television journalism.
November 06, 2025: Information Minister Attaullah Tararâs job offer to Nukta staff draws criticism as hundreds of journalists across Pakistan face layoffs, salary delays, and job insecurity.
November 11, 2025 BBC reels from leadership resignations and Trumpâs $1B lawsuit over an edited speech as outgoing chief Tim Davie rallies journalists to defend press freedom.
November 11, 2025 Report finds 44 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza displacement tents, highlighting threats to media freedom and independent reporting since October 2023.
November 11, 2025 British journalist Sami Hamdi was released from US ICE detention after visa revocation, highlighting risks to cross-border journalism and press freedom.
November 11, 2025 IJAS condemns rising attacks and threats against journalists in Serbia and calls for urgent investigations, police accountability, and stronger protection for media freedom.
November 10, 2025 In Europe, 32 of 51 journalist killings remain unresolved, exposing a crisis of impunity and threatening media freedom across the continent.