Trump pokes fun at press during White House Correspondents' Dinner

US President Donald Trump attended the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Saturday night, his first such event since taking office. The dinner celebrated press freedom after the initially scheduled event in April was cancelled due to a shooting in which a security officer was injured.

In his remarks, Trump mocked the media, referring to many journalists as "fake news" and accusing them of suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome." He also emphasized that differences should be resolved through open debate rather than bullets, and urged respect for free speech.

During the event, awards were presented to journalists, including a team from The Wall Street Journal for their coverage of Trump's ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The president personally shook hands with all award recipients. Secret Service officer Victor Gonzalez was also honored for his actions during the shooting.

The dinner was considerably scaled down from the original plan, with about 700 attendees compared to over 2,000 in April. Security was tightened: several blocks around the hotel were closed, guests underwent double screening with QR codes and IDs, and at times were asked to walk single file past two Secret Service officers holding rifles.

The suspect in the April shooting, 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. Also in attendance were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other officials.