Melania Trump will miss her husband’s speech at Friday’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
The first lady is one of several key MAGA no-shows at the event, which is taking place after an armed suspect stormed the original dinner at the Washington Hilton in April, in an alleged assassination attempt against President Trump.
Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged shooter, did not get into the room, but was perilously close before he was brought down.
The do-over will be held at the Waldorf Astoria, in a smaller ballroom, meaning Friday’s dinner will welcome around 680 people, compared to the 2,600 guests who attended the April event.
As well as Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also not attend Friday’s dinner, despite all three being present for the April event.
A White House spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Beast that their absences are due to prior commitments. Second lady Usha Vance gave birth to her fourth child, Alec, last Sunday.
Melania attended Sunday’s World Cup with her husband as well as his weather-delayed Fourth of July speech on the National Mall.
A senior adviser of the first lady told People in May that she “will not be deterred” from appearing at public events, after her husband claimed she was frightened by April’s experience.
Members of Trump’s cabinet who will attend on Friday include White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Trump, 80, will take the podium to deliver the speech he was unable to make in April.
That initial “revenge” speech was expected to roast the media, and to target publications Trump has accused of writing negatively about his administration and his ongoing war with Iran.
CBS News reporter and White House Correspondents’ Association Chief Weijia Jiang, who was at Trump’s table in April, told People on Thursday, “It’s really anyone’s guess” if the president will stick to his original plan to be critical of the media.
“I don’t know what he’s going to say,” Jiang said. “I don’t think even his staff or frankly even his speech writers know what he will actually deliver until it happens, because oftentimes he gauges the room and he will feed off of that energy.”
Leavitt told the Daily Beast in a statement, “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.”
She told People that “Everyone should tune in for a speech to remember.”
Hundreds of former journalists and press freedom groups sent a letter to the WHCA ahead of Friday’s dinner, urging them to “forcefully stand up” for the freedom of the press in front of the president and call out the Trump administration’s attacks on free speech. That has included threatening to revoke broadcasters' licenses and attempting to subpoena New York Times reporters over coverage of his newly gifted Air Force One jet.
“We urge the WHCA to condemn the administration’s actions from the podium and pledge to fight all attempts by his administration to undermine this core pillar of a functioning democracy,” the letter read.
The Secret Service, in-house hotel security at the Waldorf Astoria, law enforcement and a private security firm have all worked together to ensure Friday’s event goes ahead safely.
While guests in April only needed a paper ticket to access certain areas of the venue, each guest on Friday has been pre-vetted and given their own unique QR code to access the ballroom through a private entrance.
“Guests will see a visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel and there will be enhanced traffic closures due to proximity to major thoroughfares,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told the Daily Beast in a statement. “All ticketed guests will go through airport-style magnetometer screening to enter the event.”
Suspect Allen has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include attempted assassination of the president, and remains in federal custody and faces possible life imprisonment if convicted.
