High Security Marks Return of White House Correspondents’ Dinner

WHO:

NBC News - President Donald Trump is attending the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Fox News - Melania Trump and JD Vance will not attend the dinner.

WHAT:

Forbes - Approximately 700 attendees are expected at the rescheduled dinner, down from an estimated 2,600 who attended the original event in April.

Forbes - The dinner will start at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, with a livestream of the event and red carpet arrivals beginning earlier at 6 p.m.

NBC News - U.S. Secret Service Agent Victor Gonzales was awarded the WHCA President’s Award for Exceptional Service for his efforts to stop the gunman during the April event.

Al Jazeera - The dinner will be held on Friday, July 24.

Al Jazeera - Doors open at 6pm local (22:00 GMT) and the dinner begins at 7pm (23:00 GMT).

Al Jazeera - The ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria holds only about 1,000 people, down from the 2,500 who reportedly attended the dinner at the Hilton.

Al Jazeera - Attendees have been warned to expect additional time to clear security screening.

Al Jazeera - The original 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was disrupted and ended early when Cole Tomas Allen stormed the gala venue, armed with guns and knives, attempting to assassinate President Trump.

Al Jazeera - The ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria holds only about 1,000 people, down from the 2,500 who reportedly attended the dinner at the Hilton.

Al Jazeera - The WHCA charges $480 per ticket for the dinner, with proceeds directed towards journalism awards and scholarships.

Al Jazeera - The dinner will feature mentalist Oz Pearlman as part of the programming.

Deadline - Trump is expected to speak around 9 p.m. ET at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

NBC News - The White House Correspondents Dinner is being rescheduled after the initial event was targeted by a gunman.

NBC News - The Secret Service is confident in the security plan for the dinner amid an alarming rise in threats.

WHERE:

Al Jazeera - The event will be held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, formerly known as the Trump International Hotel.

Fox News - The rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner will take place at the Waldorf Astoria.

NBC News - The event is taking place at the White House.

WHEN:

NBC News - The rescheduled White House Correspondents Dinner is set for Friday night.

WHY:

Al Jazeera - Both WHCA’s president Jiang and Trump emphasised that rescheduling the gala was important to demonstrate a refusal to be intimidated by political violence.

Al Jazeera - WHCA President Weijia Jiang stated that rescheduling the event was “not automatic” and occurred “after thoughtful consideration and input from our members”.

NBC News - The initial event was targeted by a gunman, prompting heightened security measures.

HOW:

Forbes - Attendees will receive a unique QR code for access instead of printed tickets, and streets around the Waldorf Astoria will be restricted on the day of the event.

Al Jazeera - Access to the event will be limited to a single entrance with security coordinated between a private security firm and the US Secret Service – employing magnetometers. All other entrances will be sealed during the event.

Al Jazeera - Access to the event will be limited to a single entrance with security coordinated between a private security firm and the US Secret Service, employing magnetometers.

Fox News - The Secret Service will implement enhanced security measures, including magnetometer screening and closures.

NBC News - The Secret Service is implementing a security plan for the dinner.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 02:48 UTC)

The rescheduled dinner is set to take place at the Waldorf Astoria, with approximately 700 attendees expected, a significant drop from the 2,600 who attended the original event in April. The event will kick off at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, with a livestream and red carpet arrivals starting at 6 p.m., and attendees will receive unique QR codes for access instead of traditional printed tickets. Additionally, U.S. Secret Service Agent Victor Gonzales will be honored with the WHCA President’s Award for Exceptional Service for his heroic actions during the April event.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 01:24 UTC)

The upcoming dinner will take place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, which was formerly known as the Trump International Hotel, on Friday, July 28. Doors will open at 6 PM local time, with the dinner starting an hour later, and attendees should prepare for extra time to clear security screening, as access will be limited to one entrance with coordinated security measures in place. Both the president of the White House Correspondents' Association and Trump have emphasized the importance of rescheduling this gala to show a united front against political violence.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 16:24 UTC)

The 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was abruptly interrupted when an individual named Cole Tomas Allen stormed the venue, armed with guns and knives, in an attempt to assassinate President Trump. The event, held at the Waldorf Astoria, has a capacity of about 1,000 people, a significant reduction from the 2,500 attendees at its previous location, and tickets cost $480, with proceeds supporting journalism awards and scholarships. WHCA President Weijia Jiang mentioned that rescheduling the dinner was not automatic and required thoughtful consideration, while security will be tight, with access limited to a single entrance and coordinated efforts between a private security firm and the US Secret Service.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 14:37 UTC)

Trump is expected to speak at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which is set to take place at the Waldorf Astoria. The event has been rescheduled, and Trump’s remarks are anticipated around 9 p.m. ET. In preparation, the Secret Service will enforce enhanced security measures, including magnetometer screening and various closures.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 13:29 UTC)

President Trump is set to attend the rescheduled White House Correspondents Dinner, which will take place at the White House on Friday night. Notably, Melania Trump and JD Vance will not be in attendance, and the event was moved due to a previous incident involving a gunman that raised security concerns. The Secret Service has expressed confidence in their security plan to ensure the safety of all attendees amid an increase in threats.