Trump returns to rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner months after April shooting

U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing a rescheduled, downsized White House Correspondents' Association WHCA dinner on Friday July 24, marking his return to the event three months after an attempted assassination abruptly halted the original April gala.

The original gala on April 25 at the Washington Hilton was cut short when 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen breached a security screening area armed with a shotgun, pistol, and knives while the Secret Service agents safely evacuated President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance from the dais as gunshots were fired near the venue entrance.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital, "In April, President Trump promised to finish the job and plan another WHCA Dinner, and on Friday, he will deliver on that promise. We look forward to a great and fun evening celebrating 250 years of American greatness and a free press."

As reported by Fox News, the event has been relocated to the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., and is operating under heightened security protocols.

The April incident occurred during Trump's first presidential appearance at the correspondents' dinner as he had boycotted the event in his previous years in office.

Trump has said the shooting in April showed the need for a $400 million ballroom being built at the White House, saying that holding such events there would increase the president's security.

The historical WHCA annual gala raises money for journalism scholarships and celebrates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and the press.

The black-tie gathering of journalists, politicians and administration officials’ is expected to be a night of unity with a more intimate guest list after the April dinner devolved into chaos.

WHCA announced in a press release Tuesday, the Friday dinner will honor U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales during Friday's dinner in recognition of his actions in helping stop an armed suspect from entering the ballroom.

U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks, and mentalist Oz Pearlman will provide entertainment.

While first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not be in attendance due to prior commitments, many Cabinet officials will be present.

FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among those attending.

Several hundred veteran journalists, along with eight professional journalism organizations, have signed a letter urging the WHCA to use the dinner to condemn what they called Trump’s attacks on the First Amendment.

WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the event “will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”