During a gala Friday celebrating press freedom, President Trump finally got to deliver the biting speech he had long teased. His plan to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner three months earlier was disrupted by an assassination attempt.The rescheduled event was needed because the nation cannot “yield to political violence,” Trump said to a ballroom of journalists at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with outgoing White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang at the WHCA dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, Friday, July 24, 2026 (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)
Presidents have traditionally used the event to take good-natured digs at the media and themselves. Trump offered some self-deprecating humor as he started, but the bulk of his remarks were focused on his critics.
Some key moments from his more than hourlong speech:
Teasing a third term
Trump used the start of his speech to bring up a favorite topic: running for president again, even though the Constitution doesn’t allow it.
He mentioned it again at the end of his address, putting on a red “Trump 2028” cap and pushing unfounded claims that the 2020 election had been rigged, so he would actually be pursuing a fourth win.
The Iran war
Trump suggested the war with Iran is going “extremely well,” even as polling shows voters are increasingly concerned about the situation in the Middle East and gas prices are on the rise again.
“Don’t believe the fake news,” he said, ticking off recent U.S. military successes and adding that Iran would “love to make a deal.”
Criticizing the critics
The president picked on several usual targets, including some of his more vocal critics. “This year the association decided not to have a comedian, so they considered using Jimmy Kimmel,” Trump said of the late-night host, whom the president has said should be fired by Disney’s ABC.
Of Bruce Springsteen, Trump said the “Born in the U.S.A.” singer “looks like hell” and suggested a new name for his tour: “Bored in the U.S.A.”
Trump vs. the press
Trump called the gathering “the largest group of Trump Derangement Syndrome people ever put together at one time.”
“I gave up on traditional press,” he said, boasting about how popular he is on TikTok.
Trump joked that he regrets sharing his phone number with so many reporters because he is inundated with calls. However, he said, “I always find that when you don’t speak to the press, you always get a bad story. When you do speak to the press, you have a shot at getting a good story.”
Ribbing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump poked fun at his Health Secretary, who was in the audience and is known for a habit of picking up roadkill.
“I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their very delicious beef tenderloin,” Trump said. “I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy…personally ran over the cow in his car.”
Kennedy also offered an appetizer made from raccoon roadkill, Trump joked. “He’s a very different kind of person,” the president said.
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