Donald Trump will launch a “revenge” attack on the White House media when he confronts them in person at a Washington dinner on Saturday night—then flee before there can be revenge.
He is expected to target publications that he has accused of writing negatively about his administration and his war with Iran, in particular, according to sources.
The Daily Beast is among the outlets the president and his aides have accused of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Trump will leave the White House Correspondents’ Association event after making his speech, so he will miss the presentation of press awards—one of which would be certain to embarrass him.
He has told aides he has no intention of still being in the International Ballroom at the Washington Hilton when the Wall Street Journal is honored with the Katherine Graham award for its scoop about a bawdy letter Trump allegedly wrote for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday card.
The president’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Rupert Murdoch-owned Journal was tossed last week by a federal judge. Saturday will be the first time Trump has attended the dinner as president.
Presidents have traditionally joined the press event and are often roasted by a comedian as part of the festivities.
Trump will make his drop-mic departure before the entertainment. Mentalist Oz Pearlman is performing this year, replacing the usual comedian and avoiding a potential Trump roast.
The president isn’t taking any chances and plans to be back in the White House before the show goes on, said the insider.
In 2011, then-President Barack Obama took aim at Trump when the then-reality show star was first considering a presidential run.
Referring to Trump’s amplification of a conspiracy theory suggesting Obama wasn’t a U.S. citizen, he joked that Trump was happy to “put this birth certificate matter to rest. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like: Did we fake the moon landing? What really happened at Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” Trump’s physical reactions made clear his displeasure.
The roast has been blamed for Trump’s absence from the dinner for his first term and last year—and even for his decision to give up his television career and run for the White House.
Trump told Fox News that he hadn’t attended because he was unhappy with his press coverage.“I haven’t done it because right from the beginning I was treated rather rudely and crudely,” said Trump.
“You know, I won the election in 2016. It was one of the greatest elections ever. And you were all witness to it, and I had great—but they were so nasty.
“The press was so nasty, I just—so I didn’t do it. And you know, there is this theory that I was there while Barack Hussein Obama was speaking, and he was hitting me a little bit. Actually, it was very nice, and I was actually, I loved it. I really loved it.”
On the night that Obama poked fun at Trump during his dinner speech—April 30, 2011—he was also finalizing top secret plans for the SEAL raid in Pakistan that resulted in the killing of Osama bin Laden.
He called the operations head, Admiral Bill McRaven, wishing him “Godspeed” on the morning of the dinner. Despite spending the evening with the media, Obama didn’t let slip a hint of the operation that was successfully carried out on May 1-2, 2011.
Some members of Trump’s team have joked that the president should reveal a major development in the Iran War the morning after this year’s dinner. “It was suggested that Trump should make a big move on the night the press are wining and dining so he ruins their night out,” said one insider.
