(Image via Twitter)
President Trump tweeted late Saturday afternoon that he plans to skip the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year,” the tweet reads. “Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
His decision to opt out of the dinner comes amid his ongoing battle with the press.
The annual black-tie event attended by journalists, celebrities, and traditionally the president and first lady, features awards and scholarships for rising stars in journalism.
Attending the dinner has been a tradition for presidents since it began in the early 1920's.
The last president to skip the event was Ronald Reagan in 1981, uanable to attend because he was recovering from an assassination attempt. Even so, Reagan phoned in and delivered remarks to the dinner's attendees.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) issued a statement on Saturday following Trump’s announcement, saying, in essence, that despite the President’s lack in attendance, the show will go on.
“The White House Correspondents' Association looks forward to having its annual dinner on April 29,” writes WHCA president Jeff Mason. “The WHCA takes note of President Donald Trump's announcement on Twitter that he does not plan to attend the dinner, which has been and will continue to be 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."
What do you think of President Trump’s decision to sit out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner? Let us know in the comments section below!
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