President Donald Trump returned to the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association dinner Friday night with a wide-ranging hour-long speech that blended praise for some journalists with pointed criticism of others, jokes targeting the weight and intelligence of public figures, and fresh remarks about the prospect of a third presidential term.
Trump also said he had softened his address, telling the audience he had discarded the more aggressive version he had prepared for the original April dinner, which was postponed after a gunman opened fire outside the venue.
"That was going to be a doozy," Trump said of the earlier speech.
Opening his remarks, Trump recalled the canceled April event, saying, "As I said three months ago, the show must go on," and praised organizers for rescheduling the dinner. He briefly referenced what he described as "the attempted mass murder" that could have occurred that night before shifting to a speech dominated by humor, political barbs and personal insults.
Trump's appearance, along with his pledge to return for next year's dinner, marked a notable chapter in his often combative relationship with the news media. Since beginning his second term early last year, he has repeatedly criticized news organizations, filed lawsuits against media outlets and taken administrative action affecting journalists. The audience included reporters whom Trump had previously publicly criticized and barred from official events.
