On Trump’s 100th day of office, he skipped out on a White House tradition and did his own thing. The move makes him the first president in decades to skip the White House Correspondents dinner.
Instead of attending the black-tie event, President Trump held a campaign-style rally in Pennsylvania, one of the states he wasn’t expected to win in November.
He threw plenty of shade on the dinner he passed on. “A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation’s capital right now,” said President Trump.
Trump used his event to rate the media’s first 100 days covering his presidency. “It the media’s job is to be honest and tell the truth, then I think we would all agree the media deserves a very, very big, fat failing grade,” said President Trump.
Back in Washington, the media, celebrities, and dignitaries walked the red carpet for the dinner hosted by Daily Show Senior Correspondent, Hasan Minhaj.
Unsurprisingly, Trump was a topic of conversation. “The leader of our country is not here. and that’s because he lives in Moscow,” said Minhaj. “As for the other guy, I think he’s in Pennsylvania because he can’t take a joke,” said Minhaj. “You guys have to more perfect now than ever because you are how the president gets his news,” said Minhaj.
The last time Trump attended the White House Correspondents dinner was in 2011, when he was the butt of jokes by Comedian, Seth Meyers and President Obama. Some might argue the ribbing spurred him to run for president.
Earlier Saturday (4/29), protesters backing action on climate change used the milestone day to march in Washington. Other protesters gathered at Trump Tower in New York to mark what they call “100 days of failure.”
Trump used his weekly address to hail his first 100 days in pure Trump style. “I truly believe that the first 100 days of my administration has been just about the most successful in our country’s history,” said President Trump.
This was first time in 36 years that a sitting president has not attended and spoken at the dinner.