President Donald Trump is issuing a scathing attack on the national news media at a Pennsylvania rally he organized for the same evening the White House Correspondents’ Association hosts its annual dinner.
Weeks ago Trump decided to skip the dinner and even wished the group well. But speaking to supporters Saturday night in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the president derided the news media and accused them of “fake news.”
Trump says if the media’s job is to be honest and tell the truth, then they deserve “a big, fat failing grade.” He says that in contrast, his administration has been delivering for the American people every day.
Trump says the media are trapped at the dinner in Washington and he predicts it will be “very, very boring.”
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The absence of Trump, who has called the media “fake” and “dishonest” and even “the enemy of the people,” marks the first time a president has declined since Ronald Reagan in 1981 – and he was recovering from an assassination attempt (but phoned in some friendly, humorous remarks nonetheless.)
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READ MORE: With Trump absent, White House correspondents’ dinner to focus on journalism again
Even his White House staff will also be absent, in what was described as “solidarity” with their boss.
There will be, as usual, a comedian emceeing the event, which will air on C-SPAN: Hasan Minhaj, of The Daily Show. But he will have competition: late-night star Samantha Bee will be headlining Not the White House Correspondent’s Dinner, airing at 10 p.m. EDT on TBS (TV stars like Alysia Reiner of Orange Is The New Black, Retta of Parks and Recreation, and Matt Walsh of Veep are among those scheduled to attend the party afterward.)
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