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U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at what he called "fake news media" and joked about seeking a fourth presidential term, as he addressed a rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner Friday, three months after the original event was disrupted by an alleged assassination attempt.
"This place is really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time," Trump told the gala at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.
He opened with a relatively conciliatory tone, reflecting on the April shooting that forced his evacuation from the original event, saying: "The show must go on."
He then pivoted through an often rambling, hour-long speech that moved from criticizing journalists to attacking Democratic political figures, at points mocking his own speechwriters when jokes fell flat.
When one joke landed poorly, Trump remarked: "That was actually the only thing I thought was good in this whole freaking stupid speech."
Trump also spoke about what he described as the benefit of engaging directly with the press despite his criticism of it. "I always find that when you don't speak to the press, you always get a bad story," he said, adding, "When you do speak to the press, you have a shot at getting a good story."
He closed the speech saying he had "tremendous respect" for the journalists present, adding: "When I'm gone you're all going to be broke. Your business model is gonna be finished. When I'm not around, you're gonna be broke. There's not gonna be anybody to report on. Nobody gives a damn about anybody else."
Trump revived talk of serving beyond the two-term limit set by the 22nd Amendment, saying, "Just like my presidency, the second time is always better. And the third time is better yet," before adding, "I'm only kidding."
He later pulled out a red "Trump 2028" cap and said, "I'm pleased to announce my intention to, and this is a somewhat of a scoop, my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States."
Trump also joked that he had "won three times" and was "getting very good at running for president."
Trump said he believed some journalists "don't like" him and claimed he receives "93% negative publicity."
Trump made a series of jokes about members of his administration and political figures. Referring to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump said, "I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloins, very special beef. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who's right here, personally ran over the cow in his car. Boom, and he cut it up and he brought it here for you to eat tonight. So it's very fresh. And Bobby also suggested an appetiser featuring his favourite cut of male raccoon roadkill. But we drew the line at that."
Trump added, "We love Bobby... but he is a very different kind of a person," and said Kennedy "has what it takes, and he's smart, and he loves the country."
Trump also joked about Rep. Jerry Nadler and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker fighting over cheesecake, remarking, "Who the hell wrote that line?"
On Rep. Adam Schiff, Trump said, "I hate some people. You know, I shouldn't say this. I'm not supposed to say it. I'm supposed to love everybody, but he's a terrible person."
He also joked about outgoing WHCA president Weijia Jiang and incoming president Jacqui Heinrich, and said he'd like a "couple" more votes from Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., saying Fitzpatrick "chooses to be independent sometimes... We don't like that."
Trump said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt "can sometimes be 'nasty,'" adding, "Karoline may have one of the hardest jobs in the White House. She has to deal with all of you all of the time, and you can be very difficult... But I'm probably being a little bit oversensitive. Sometimes I really do think that some of you don't like me."
Trump reflected on the shooting at the original dinner, recalling his protective detail standing on tables and joking that shouts of "Get down!" had prompted a celebrity guest to begin dancing.
"We do not yield to political violence," Trump said, adding that disagreements should be settled "not with bullets" but "with open and vigorous debate."
He referred to the alleged shooter as "a deranged loser with a gun."
Trump praised Secret Service agent Victor Gonzalez, who was shot at a security checkpoint during the April incident and is credited with stopping the attacker, saying Gonzalez "did not even want to go to the hospital for a checkup," and thanked law enforcement broadly.
The tribute received a standing ovation.
Gonzalez survived after being struck while wearing a protective vest.
Trump said "a tremendous amount was learned about security and about other things, the dangers of what we all do," and joked that the rescheduled dinner was, in a sense, an improvement: "Just like my presidency, the second time is always better."
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