White House Staff Won’t Attend Correspondents Dinner in Solidarity with President Trump

(Getty)

In solidarity with President Trump’s decision to skip the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner, all members of his White House staff will also skip the event in solidarity, TIME is reporting.

The dinner, set to take place on April 29, has traditionally been a symbolic breaking of bread between the president and the press corps that covers the office—with comedic hosts also taking the opportunity to roast the Commander in Chief.

President Trump tweeted in February, however, that he would not be attending the prestigious Washington event.

I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017

“Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!” Trump’s tweet read, in part.

White House staff alerted the WHCA that they would not be attending the dinner on Tuesday night.

BREAK – no White House staff will attend the WHCD in “solidarity” with Trump pic.twitter.com/4ml0IsJrCC
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) March 28, 2017

“The WHCA board regrets this decision very much. We have worked hard to build a constructive relationship with the Trump White House and believe strongly that this goal is possible even with the natural tension between the press and administrations that is a hallmark of a healthy republic,” Jeff Mason, WHCA president and White House correspondent for Reuters, wrote.

He continued: ”We made clear in our meeting tonight that President Trump, Vice President Pence, and White House staff continue to be welcome to join us at this dinner.”

Mason told Fox News that there was “no chance” that the dinner would be cancelled, and that it would take place to “celebrate the First Amendment,” as well as award scholarships to students who “represent the next generation of our profession.”

— RealClearLife