White House correspondents to dine alone
WASHINGTON D.C. (INTELLIHUB) — The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) will be having it’s annual 2017 correspondents’ dinner without President Trump on April 29 after the commander-in-chief announced on Twitter Saturday that he will not be in attendance.
Without explanation at 6:20 p.m. local time President Trump tweeted from the official @POTUS Twitter account, “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!
— President Trump (@POTUS) February 25, 2017
The WHCA was founded on Feb. 25, 1914, and according to the Washington Post, “The annual dinner began in 1921, and Calvin Coolidge became the first president to attend the dinner in 1924.”
An excerpt out of the Post explains:
In 1978, Jimmy Carter declined to attend, citing exhaustion. First lady Rosalynn Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale also didn’t show up that year, according to The Washington Post’s Paul Farhi.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan managed to deliver remarks by phone even though he was at Camp David recovering from an assassination attempt.
“If I could give you just one little bit of advice, when somebody tells you to get in a car quick, do it,” Reagan said to laughter.
Trump has attended the dinner before.
WHCA’s president Jeff Mason gave an official statement on Twitter Saturday.
WHCA statement on 2017 White House Correspondents' Dinner pic.twitter.com/mMOXaozwHj
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) February 25, 2017
It’s not known how long the president’s feud with the press will continue.
