Rescheduled WH Correspondents' Dinner Moves To Waldorf Astoria After Shooting
The White House Correspondents' Association rescheduled its annual dinner for July 24 and moved the event to the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue after an April 25 shooting disrupted the original Washington Hilton gala.[1]
President Donald Trump announced the venue in a Truth Social post and said the July 24 date shows "we cannot allow lunatics to change our way of life." Fox News He said he accepted WHCA president Weijia Jiang's invitation to attend and speak at the rescheduled dinner.[1] Jiang told association members the July 24 event will be a "more intimate gathering" with "significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures." CBS White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, now on maternity leave, said on X that she plans to attend the July 24 dinner.[1]
On April 25 the dinner at the Washington Hilton was disrupted when suspect Cole Allen allegedly tried to run through a security checkpoint one story above the ballroom.[2] Prosecutors say Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and knives and he shot a Secret Service officer wearing a bulletproof vest.[2] Prosecutors say Allen traveled by train from California and stayed at the host hotel.[2] He remains detained after pleading not guilty to attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, and two firearms charges.[2]
CBS initially said details on the new venue were still being finalized.[2] President Trump publicly named the Waldorf Astoria on Tuesday, June 2 in a Truth Social post.[1] Jiang framed the rescheduling as a statement that "violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence" and tied the decision to the United States' 250th anniversary.[2]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The White House Correspondents' Association formally rescheduled its annual dinner for July 24, 2026, about six weeks after the April 25 shooting at the Washington Hilton (White House Correspondents' Association).
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, President Donald Trump announced the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner will be held at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue and said in a Truth Social post that the July 24 date shows 'we cannot allow lunatics to change our way of life,' and he confirmed he accepted an invitation to attend and speak (Waldorf Astoria).
- Weijia Jiang told association members by email that the rescheduled July 24 event would be a 'more intimate gathering' with 'significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures' (Weijia Jiang).
- The April 25, 2026 dinner at the Washington Hilton was disrupted when suspect Cole Allen allegedly tried to run through a security checkpoint one story above the ballroom armed with a shotgun, a handgun and knives, and shot a Secret Service officer in a bulletproof vest (Washington Hilton).
- Prosecutors say Cole Allen, who traveled by train from California and stayed at the host hotel, remains detained after pleading not guilty to attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, and two firearms charges (Cole Allen).
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave, said on X that she plans to attend the July 24 dinner (Karoline Leavitt).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS reported on June 3, 2026, that the White House Correspondents' Association formally rescheduled its annual dinner for July 24, 2026, about six weeks after the original event was disrupted by an April 25 shooting at the Washington Hilton.
- The CBS segment reiterates that the disruption was caused by a shooting incident during the April 25, 2026 dinner, leading to the rescheduling decision.
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner will be held at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue rather than the Washington Hilton.
- Trump said in a Truth Social post that the new dinner date is July 24, 2026, calling it a sign that 'we cannot allow lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling.'
- Trump confirmed he has accepted an invitation from WHCA President Weijia Jiang to attend and speak at the rescheduled dinner.
- Jiang told association members in an email that the July 24 event at the Waldorf Astoria will be a 'more intimate gathering' with 'significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures.'
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, currently on maternity leave, said on X that she plans to attend the July 24 dinner.
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang told members by email the July 24 event will be a 'more intimate gathering' with 'significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures.'
- Jiang said details on the new venue for the July 24, 2026 dinner are still being finalized.
- She framed the rescheduled dinner as a statement that 'violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence' and tied the decision to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
- The article reiterates that the original dinner on April 25, 2026 was disrupted when suspect Cole Allen, 31, allegedly tried to run through a security checkpoint one story above the ballroom at the Washington Hilton while armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives, shooting a Secret Service officer in a bulletproof vest.
- Allen, who prosecutors say traveled by train from California and stayed at the host hotel, remains detained after pleading not guilty to attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, and two firearms charges.