Trump to Attend First White House Correspondents' Dinner as President After Years of Boycotting

The headline entertainer will be mentalist Oz Pearlman instead of a comedian

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25, 2026, marking the first time he will attend the event as president. Trump had boycotted the dinner during his first term and missed last year's event. WHCA president Wijia Jiang said they are "happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him."

Why it matters

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is an annual event that celebrates the First Amendment and journalism, with the president typically in attendance. Trump's boycott of the event during his first term was seen as a break from tradition and a sign of his contentious relationship with the media. His decision to attend this year could signal a shift in his approach to the press.

The details

Trump announced his decision to attend the 2026 dinner in a Truth Social post, saying the WHCA had invited him to be the honoree. He said he looked forward to making it "the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!" The 2026 dinner will feature mentalist Oz Pearlman as the headline entertainer, rather than a comedian.

  • The 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 25.
  • Trump boycotted the dinner during his first term as president.
  • Trump also missed the first WHCA dinner of his second term last year, when he traveled to Rome for Pope Francis' funeral.

The players

Donald Trump

The 79-year-old President of the United States, who will be attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner for the first time as president after boycotting it during his first term.

Wijia Jiang

The president of the White House Correspondents' Association and CBS News' senior White House correspondent, who said they are "happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him."

Oz Pearlman

The mentalist who will be the headline entertainer at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner, rather than a comedian.

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What they’re saying

“We're happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him.”

— Wijia Jiang, WHCA president (people.com)

“It will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

What’s next

The 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 25.

The takeaway

Trump's decision to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner for the first time as president could signal a shift in his approach to the media, after boycotting the event during his first term. The dinner's selection of a mentalist rather than a comedian as the headline entertainer also represents a departure from tradition.