Trump will attend White House Correspondents’ Dinner for first time as president - The Guardian
3/3/2026, 2:01:06 AM
A surprise end to the Correspondents’ Dinner boycott lands as Epstein-related scrutiny and Iran-strike public opinion remain in focus. President Trump says he will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, marking his first appearance there as president and signaling an end to a boycott. The move comes against a backdrop of renewed Epstein-related headlines, including reporting on Bill Clinton’s deposition and calls for testimony on relationships with Epstein. Separately, a CNN poll finds broad disapproval of Iran strikes and expectations of a long-term conflict, while the White House highlights an update on “Operation Epic Fury.”
A surprise end to the Correspondents’ Dinner boycott lands as Epstein-related scrutiny and Iran-strike public opinion remain in focus.
President Trump says he will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, marking his first appearance there as president and signaling an end to a boycott. The move comes against a backdrop of renewed Epstein-related headlines, including reporting on Bill Clinton’s deposition and calls for testimony on relationships with Epstein. Separately, a CNN poll finds broad disapproval of Iran strikes and expectations of a long-term conflict, while the White House highlights an update on “Operation Epic Fury.”
Key points
- Trump says he will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, ending a boycott and making his first appearance as president.
- Multiple outlets report the same basic development on the dinner attendance, suggesting a coordinated or widely confirmed signal from the White House side.
- Epstein-related coverage intensifies with Politico reporting on Bill Clinton’s deposition and Reuters highlighting Clinton’s account involving Trump and Epstein.
- Fox News frames Clinton’s comments as saying Trump “never said anything” linking himself to Epstein’s crimes, underscoring competing emphases across coverage.
- NBC News reports Rep. Ro Khanna is calling for Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify on Epstein relationships.
- CNN reports polling showing 59% disapprove of Iran strikes and that most think a long-term conflict is likely; the White House posts an update on “Operation Epic Fury.”
Why it matters
- Trump’s Correspondents’ Dinner attendance could reshape the tenor of White House–press relations at a moment when multiple controversies are competing for attention.
- The Epstein-related headlines are producing overlapping political and media pressure, with calls for testimony adding potential legal and oversight dimensions.
- Public skepticism about Iran strikes, as reflected in CNN’s poll, raises stakes for the administration’s messaging alongside the White House’s “Operation Epic Fury” update.
What to watch
- Whether Trump’s planned Correspondents’ Dinner appearance changes press access dynamics—or becomes a flashpoint itself.
- Any response from the White House or named officials to Khanna’s call for testimony on Epstein relationships.
- Further details or follow-on messaging tied to “Operation Epic Fury,” and whether public opinion on Iran strikes shifts.