The event’s host, comedian Michelle Wolf, has ribbed the press secretary over Trump’s impending no-show.
The host of this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner has put a funny positive spin on President Donald Trump’s impending no-show.
“I’m just excited Sarah finally gets to go to prom,” comedian Michelle Wolf joked to The Daily Beast ― in reference to the news that White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would represent the Trump administration at the head table at the April 28 event.
Trump himself will not attend, for the second year in a row.
The White House Correspondents’ Association hosts the annual shindig traditionally frequented by journalists, celebrities and the president. Margaret Talev, the association’s president, confirmed via a tweeted statement on Friday that Trump is planning to skip this year’s event:
Statement on President and WHCA Dinner pic.twitter.com/WiemgnIvcq
— WHCA (@whca) 6 April 2018
“The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year’s dinner but that he will actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment,” Talev wrote.
Trump has repeatedly attacked the media, and often dubs news outlets that report critically on his administration as “fake news.” In 2011, former President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers both used their speeches to poke fun at then-reality TV personality Trump.