What's happening during White House Correspondents' Dinner Weekend 2025
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Joe Biden speaks with comedian Colin Jost during last year's Correspondents' Dinner. Photo: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images
It's April in Washington, which means it's time for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner and the weekend of events surrounding it.
The big picture: The dinner, on April 26, brings journalists and politicians together to rub elbows — a gathering some have mixed feelings about this year due to the Trump administration's treatment of the press.
- Meanwhile, there won't be any comedians performing: Headliner Amber Ruffin's appearance was canceled due to comments she made about President Trump.
- Trump will not attend this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner, a White House official tells Axios. Neither will Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The intrigue: The White House and conservative groups have floated the idea of hosting a rival event on the same night as the dinner — potentially to celebrate First Lady Melania Trump's birthday, reports Politico.
Here are the parties happening during Correspondents' Dinner Weekend:
Wednesday, April 23
Event: A Toast to Press Freedom
- Host: Washington Association of Black Journalists and the Global Situation Room
- Location: Recording Industry Association of America
- Time: 6-9pm
Thursday, April 24
Event: Honoring International Women Journalists & Truth in Storytelling
- Host: International Women's Media Foundation, UTA Foundation, Vital Voices, Margaret Brennan, Averi Harper, Andrea Mitchell, Amna Nawaz, Kelly O'Donnell, Norah O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Rachel Scott and Kristen Welker
- Location: Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women's Leadership
- Time: 4-6pm
Event: Washington Women in Journalism Awards Ceremony
- Host: Story Partners and Washingtonian
- Location: Larz Anderson House
- Time: 6-9pm
Event: An Evening with Axios and OpenAI
- Host: Axios, OpenAI
- Location: Rooftop Terrace of the International Spy Museum
- Time: 6-8pm
Event: Press Pass Party
- Host: Meridian International Center, the center's CEO Stuart Holliday, NOTUS, and Politico founder Robert Allbritton
- Location: Meridian International Center
- Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Event: The Semafor Gala
- Host: Semafor
- Location: National Portrait Gallery
- Time: 7-10pm
Event: Status WHCD Kickoff Party
- Host: Status
- Location: Fish Shop
- Time: 8:30pm-12am
Friday, April 25
Event: TGAIFriday Lunch
- Host: Washington AI Network
- Location: The House at 1229
- Time: 11:30am - 2pm
Event: Crooked Media Presents Drinks
- Host: Crooked Media
- Time: 5:30-8pm
Event: CAA and Condé Nast White House Correspondents' Dinner Kickoff Party
- Host: CAA and Condé Nast
- Location: City Tavern
- Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Event: UTA's Celebration of American Journalists Party
- Host: UTA
- Location: Osteria Mozza
- Time: 9pm - 1am
Event: Washingtonian / Embassy of Qatar VIP Soirée
- Host: His Excellency Ambassador Meshal Al Thani, and Cathy Merrill, CEO of Washingtonian
- Location: Four Seasons
- Time: 8-11pm
Event: Motion Picture Association Night Before Event
- Host: Motion Picture Association
- Location: Motion Picture Association
- Time: 5:30-8pm
Event: The New Correspondents Reception and Dinner
- Host: Adam Faze and Jess Hoy
- Location: The Watergate Hotel
- Time: 6-9pm
Event: Reception at the British Embassy
- Host: British Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson, Brunswick Group and The Daily Mail
- Location: The British ambassador's residence
- Time: 7-10pm
Saturday, April 26
Event: White House Correspondents' Weekend Garden Brunch
- Host: Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Mark and Sally Ein, David Urban, Teresa Carlson, Franco Nuschese
- Location: Beall-Washington House
- Time: 11am - 2pm
Event: ABC News White House Correspondents' Pre-Dinner Reception
- Host: ABC News
- Location: Columbia Room, Washington Hilton
- Time: 5:30pm
Event: Politico and CBS News White House Correspondents' Dinner Reception
- Host: Politico, CBS News, Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski
- Location: Washington Hilton
- Time: 6pm
Event: Cocktails With the Contrarian
- Host: The Contrarian, Norm Eisen and Jen Rubin
- Location: The Wyoming
- Time: 6-8pm
Event: The New Media Party
- Host: Substack
- Location: The Line Hotel
- Time: 8-11pm
Event: A Celebration of TIME
- Host: Swiss Ambassador Ralf Heckner, Mercuria, TIME and charitable partner Helping a Hero
- Location: Swiss ambassador's residence
- Time: 10:30pm
Event: NBC News and Telemundo White House Correspondents' Dinner After Party
- Host: NBC News and Telemundo
- Location: The French ambassador's residence
- Time: 11:30pm
Sunday, April 27
Event: Politico and NOTUS Brunch
- Host: Allbritton Journalism Institute, Robert and Elena Allbritton
- Location: The Allbritton residence
- Time: 11am - 2pm
Event: Washington Post Brunch
- Host: The Washington Post
- Location: Ned's Club D.C.
- Time: 11am-3pm
Event: CNN's WHCD Weekend Finale Reception
- Host: CNN
- Time: 12:30-3:30pm
Editor's note: This list is developing and will be updated with new details. The story has been corrected to remove Comcast/NBC in connection with the Motion Picture Association event.