Trump Attends White House Correspondents' Dinner — His First as Sitting President; Mentalist Oz Pearlman Hosts

President Trump attended the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday April 25 — his first attendance as a sitting president in either of his two terms in office. Trump had been the only president in the event's century-long history not to attend at least once while in office during his first term; he previously attended in 2011 as a private citizen when Barack Obama was president and was notably roasted by Seth Meyers. This year's dinner featured mentalist Oz Pearlman as host rather than a traditional stand-up comedian. A petition signed by more than 250 veteran journalists protested Trump's attendance, calling it 'a profound contradiction' of the event's stated purpose of celebrating press freedom. C-SPAN aired live, commercial-free coverage starting at 7/6c. Trump's attendance was interpreted by media observers as part of a broader second-term shift in media strategy; advisors reportedly argued that a more conciliatory approach to the press corps could benefit the administration's international image during the ongoing Iran war.