Poynter is reporting that the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Friday was marked by President Donald Trump's hour-long, rambling speech, which included attacks on the media and political opponents. The New York Times' Shawn McCreesh reported the speech featured ad hominem attacks and jokes that fell flat, with any cordial moments being brief. CNN's Brian Stelter described Trump's performance as "bombed" and "boring," while Status' Jon Passantino characterized it as "laced with vile invective" and a "public humiliation" for the WHCA. The New York Times' Peter Baker suggested the association should "rethink the dinner."
Poynter said Trump continued his attacks on CNN and reporter Kaitlan Collins, comparing her to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and later posting a doctored image of Collins on Truth Social. CNN CEO Mark Thompson issued a statement defending the network's journalists, and CNN also defended Collins, who posted a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt in apparent response. Poynter also highlighted Trump's use of AI-generated images on Truth Social to attack various public figures and depict U.S. warplanes attacking Iranian ships.
Despite the contentious tone, the dinner included some positive moments. Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was injured during the attack on the original dinner, received the WHCA President’s Award for Exceptional Service. CBS News' Weijia Jiang and President Trump both praised Gonzales' bravery. The Wall Street Journal was also honored for its investigation into a letter related to Jeffrey Epstein, a story for which Trump has sued the Journal.
In other news, Poynter is reporting that Paramount has paused its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery until June due to an antitrust lawsuit filed by a dozen Democratic-led states. The New York Times' Benjamin Mullin, David McCabe, and Lauren Hirsch reported the delay could be costly for Paramount, which faces a $650 million quarterly fee for every quarter the deal does not close starting in October. Paramount stated it sought a direct path to trial to prove the transaction's benefits, while the attorneys general involved also expressed readiness to proceed. The Times noted the delay leaves the fate of major news and entertainment organizations like CNN and HBO in limbo.
Poynter also covered the controversy surrounding a USA Today column by Nancy Armour about WNBA star Caitlin Clark, which made a comparison to Emmett Till. Armour later issued a statement clarifying her intent to connect issues facing the WNBA with racial injustices, while USA Today defended the column as opinion but updated it for clarity. Sports Illustrated media columnist Jimmy Traina criticized USA Today's defense as "absurd." Clark, in an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, described the media coverage she receives as "exhausting" and often "not always based in reality," particularly regarding narratives that "stir it up" rather than focus on basketball.
Briefly, Poynter noted CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo's arrest for operating while intoxicated, and a report from ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio that the San Francisco 49ers attempted to keep coach Kyle Shanahan's serious car accident quiet, with some media outlets complying.