The White House Correspondents’ Dinner shifted its focus to journalism and scholarship students this year as the media organization attempts to redefine its image amid growing criticism of its relevance and political bias.
At a Glance
- The 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner featured no president or comedian, instead focusing on journalism awards and scholarship students
- WHCA President Eugene Daniels faced criticism leading up to the event, including backlash over disinviting comedian Amber Ruffin
- President Trump declined to attend for the fourth time during his presidency
- Several journalists received awards for reporting that ironically contradicted previous mainstream media narratives
- Critics argue the event remains a self-congratulatory affair that fails to address journalism’s credibility crisis
A “Re-envisioned” Dinner Without Key Players
The 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner took a decidedly different approach this year, with WHCA President Eugene Daniels announcing a format focused on journalism and scholarship recipients rather than political comedy or presidential appearances. The event, held at the Washington Hilton, notably lacked both President Donald Trump, who declined to attend for the fourth time during his presidency, and a comedian to deliver the traditional roast that has defined previous dinners.
Daniels, who faced challenges leading up to the event, emphasized the event’s new direction in his opening remarks. “There’s no president, there’s no comedian, it’s just an intense focus on our fabulous scholarship students. Just a celebration of all of you — thousands of people with a shared commitment to the First Amendment,” Daniels stated, addressing an audience that featured notably fewer A-list celebrities than in previous years.
Journalism Awards and Scholarships Take Center Stage
The evening focused heavily on journalism awards and the 30 scholarship recipients from 14 colleges and universities. Among the notable honorees was Alex Thompson of Axios, who received the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence for his reporting on President Biden’s cognitive decline—ironically, a topic many mainstream outlets had previously dismissed as conspiracy theory. Reuters received the Katherine Graham Award for courage and accountability for its series on the fentanyl drug trade.
“Every morning, WHCA members run to the White House — plane, train, automobile — with one mission — holding the powerful accountable, telling the stories of those who can’t tell them for themselves. That has never stopped, and it never will.” – Eugene Daniels.
Anthony Zurcher of BBC News received the inaugural Center for Integrity in News Reporting Award, while the Dunnigan-Payne Prize for Lifetime Career Achievement was awarded posthumously to Robert Monroe Ellison. In his acceptance speech, Zurcher emphasized journalism’s responsibility to provide impartial reporting “without favor or fear,” suggesting this principle carries special weight in the current political climate.
Contradictions and Criticisms
Despite the dinner’s focus on journalistic integrity, critics point to contradictions that undermine its message. Rachel Scott received an award for reporting on an assassination attempt on Trump that some media outlets had previously suggested might have been staged. Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani were honored for reporting on the Biden White House altering a transcript—another instance where mainstream coverage appeared to shift after the fact.
“We miss our families and significant life moments in service to this job. We care deeply about accuracy and take seriously the heavy responsibility of being stewards of the public’s trust. What we are not is the opposition. What we are not is the enemy of the people. And what we are not is the enemy of the state!” – Eugene Daniels.
Looking Forward: A Media Organization at a Crossroads
The dinner concluded with a video montage of former presidents and the announcement of Weijia Jiang as the new WHCA president, succeeding Daniels. While the WHCA continues to emphasize its role in holding power accountable, skeptics question whether the organization is addressing the root causes of declining public trust in media. The event’s dual purpose of celebrating journalism while raising funds for scholarships continues, but its effectiveness as a public relations effort for an industry under scrutiny remains debatable.
“For more than 100 years, the White House Correspondents Association has played a vital role in ensuring that the American public has access to the truth, no matter how difficult or how complex it is. And in America, the truth is usually complex and often difficult.” – Eugene Daniels.
As the media landscape continues to evolve and fracture along political lines, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner stands as a symbol of traditional journalism’s attempt to maintain relevance and credibility in an era of diminishing trust and increasing partisanship. Whether its “re-envisioning” will successfully address these challenges remains to be seen.
