Reuters reporter Jeff Mason, head of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said Monday he was caught off guard by President Trump’s announcement that he will not attend the WHCA’s annual dinner, as presidents usually do when in office.
On MSNBC, Mason said Trump is still welcome to attend the dinner if he has a change of heart.
“Well, I was surprised,” Mason said of Trump’s decision, which he announced Saturday on Twitter. “I was surprised that we hadn’t had a chance to even really talk about it except in passing a couple times over the last month. You know, we’ve been focusing on a lot of major challenges between the press and the White House and the dinner has not been at the top of our list for that but we are planning on that dinner, we are working very hard, we are going to have that dinner and if the president changes his mind, he is still welcome.”
The annual gathering has drawn criticism in recent years for ballooning into a glamorous affair that some have said shows an unseemly coziness between the national media and the government officials reporters are expected to hold accountable.
After a month of clashing with the media, Trump said over the weekend on Twitter, “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
Mason said, however, that he expects other officials from the administration will attend.
This year’s dinner will take place April 29.
