President Donald Trump poked fun at the press and honored the Secret Service for protecting him at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Friday, returning to the event celebrating press freedom after a shooting forced the suspension of the original event in April.
Trump, whose administration has often been at odds with the press, started his speech by mostly going along with the warm and relaxed tenor of the evening, alternately mixing friendly jokes with pointed criticism of what he calls the "fake news media."
But he also could not resist taking cracks at his political adversaries in the press and show business, singling out for personal attacks journalists such as Don Lemon and Lawrence O'Donnell, politicians like Chris Christie and Adam Schiff, and celebrities including Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda.
Trump suggested he was going easy on the press after he had planned a more fierce criticism last time around.
"This place is really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time," he said. "I suspect some of you are lucky that our last dinner was cut short because … I was going to go after you."
This year's dual events marked Trump's first presidential appearance at the correspondents' dinner. He had boycotted the event in his previous years in office, though he promised to come back next year.
Press freedom advocates have criticized the Trump administration over lawsuits it has filed against media organizations, restrictions on some journalists' access, and threats of action against broadcasters. He rejects the criticism, saying his administration is promoting accountability and addressing bias.
The black-tie gathering of journalists, politicians and administration officials at the Washington Hilton hotel was called off on April 25 after a man tried to force his way through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the ballroom where Trump and members of his cabinet were taking their seats.
-Reuters
Trump, whose administration has often been at odds with the press, started his speech by mostly going along with the warm and relaxed tenor of the evening, alternately mixing friendly jokes with pointed criticism of what he calls the "fake news media."
But he also could not resist taking cracks at his political adversaries in the press and show business, singling out for personal attacks journalists such as Don Lemon and Lawrence O'Donnell, politicians like Chris Christie and Adam Schiff, and celebrities including Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda.
Trump suggested he was going easy on the press after he had planned a more fierce criticism last time around.
"This place is really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time," he said. "I suspect some of you are lucky that our last dinner was cut short because … I was going to go after you."
This year's dual events marked Trump's first presidential appearance at the correspondents' dinner. He had boycotted the event in his previous years in office, though he promised to come back next year.
Press freedom advocates have criticized the Trump administration over lawsuits it has filed against media organizations, restrictions on some journalists' access, and threats of action against broadcasters. He rejects the criticism, saying his administration is promoting accountability and addressing bias.
The black-tie gathering of journalists, politicians and administration officials at the Washington Hilton hotel was called off on April 25 after a man tried to force his way through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the ballroom where Trump and members of his cabinet were taking their seats.
-Reuters
