White House Correspondents Association Replies To Trump's Declining Annual Dinner

Less than an hour after President Trump stunned official Washington, D.C., Saturday night by announcing he will not attend the annual White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner April 29, WHCA President Jeff Mason responded to the unexpected refusal.

"The WHCA takes note of President Donald Trump's announcement on Twitter that he does not plan to attend the dinner," Reuters reporter Mason wrote fellow White House correspondents.

In an obvious reference to Trump's recent salvos at the national media and reference to the liberal media as "the enemy of the people," Mason added that the dinner " has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic.”

Presidents have historically poked fun at themselves in speeches and skits and the opening toast of the WHCA has been "To the President of the United States."

This year, the White House announced Saturday, Trump will be represented by Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

Even without the President, Mason wrote, "We look forward to shining a spotlight at the dinner on some of the best political journalism of the past year and recognizing the promising students who represent the next generation of our profession."

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