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Trump thanks press, commends WHCA leader after shooting

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by Mallory Wilson - 04/25/26 11:38 PM ET

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by Mallory Wilson - 04/25/26 11:38 PM ET

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President Trump was conciliatory toward the media Saturday night as he briefed the press after a shooter was apprehended at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Trump gave remarks in the White House briefing room after returning from the Washington Hilton. The dinner did not resume after the incident.

“This was an event dedicated to the freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press and in a certain way it did,” he said.

“The room was totally unified,” he said. “It was a very beautiful thing to see.”

He said he found the coverage “very responsible.”

“I also want to thank the press, the media,” he said. “You’ve been very responsible in your coverage, I will say.”

The first question the president took was from Weija Jiang, senior White House correspondent for CBS News and president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

“Madam chairman,” he said. “I just want to say you did a fantastic job, what a beautiful evening and we’re going to reschedule.”

“You’ve done a fantastic job,” he said.

Trump said he had a speech prepared and that he was going to “really rip.”

“I said to my people, ‘This is going to be the most inappropriate speech ever made!’”

He said another dinner will be scheduled within 30 days, and it’ll be “bigger and better and even nicer.”

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