The White House Correspondents’ Dinner returned to its roots this year, forgoing celebrity fanfare and presidential appearances to refocus on journalism and scholarship, but critics question whether this shift can restore credibility to an institution under fire.
At a Glance
- The 2025 WHCA Dinner featured neither a President nor comedian, instead focusing on journalism awards and scholarship students
- President Trump declined to attend for the fourth time during his presidency
- WHCA President Eugene Daniels faced criticism leading up to the event, including backlash over disinviting comedian Amber Ruffin
- Journalism awards recognized reporting on presidential coverage, the fentanyl crisis, and Biden’s cognitive decline
- Critics argue the event remains a self-congratulatory exercise with persistent leftist bias despite claims of reform
A Return to Journalism Roots
The 2025 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner marked a significant departure from its typical star-studded format. With President Trump absent and no comedian to serve as headliner, the event refocused on its stated mission: celebrating journalism and supporting the next generation of reporters. WHCA President Eugene Daniels described the event as having “no President, 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.”
The decision to forego entertainment came amid increasing tensions between the press and the Trump administration. The WHCA board determined that a comedy-free event would allow greater focus on journalism at a time when media professionals face growing antagonism. The evening featured award presentations for exemplary reporting and recognized 30 scholarship recipients from 14 universities, highlighting the WHCA’s educational initiatives designed to strengthen journalism’s future.
Awards and Recognition
The dinner showcased journalism achievements across multiple categories. Alex Thompson of Axios received the prestigious Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence for his reporting on President Biden’s cognitive decline. This recognition came despite previous widespread media dismissal of these concerns, representing a remarkable shift in mainstream journalism’s willingness to acknowledge this story. Reuters took home the Katherine Graham Award for courage and accountability for their series investigating the fentanyl drug trade.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for those of us in the media to provide impartial and fair reporting without favor or fear. When I say fear, I mean fear of the fallout from our stories, fear of what people in power may say, do or think, and maybe that’s something you learned the first day in journalism school, but I think it lands differently … I think it means something more now,” said Anthony Zurcher.
Other notable awards included the inaugural Center for Integrity in News Reporting Award presented to Anthony Zurcher of BBC News and the Dunnigan-Payne Prize for Lifetime Career Achievement, awarded posthumously to Robert Monroe Ellison. The Associated Press earned recognition for its investigative reporting on prison labor, receiving the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability. The evening concluded with the announcement that Weijia Jiang would succeed Daniels as WHCA president.
Criticism and Controversy
Despite the WHCA’s attempt to rebrand the event as a celebration of journalistic excellence, critics remained unconvinced. Many conservative commentators characterized the dinner as a self-congratulatory exercise with persistent leftist bias. The decision to disinvite comedian Amber Ruffin created additional controversy. Some suggested this was less about refocusing on journalism and more about avoiding potential backlash from political humor during an election year with an adversarial relationship between the president and press corps.
“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 said.
Critics also pointed to contradictions in the event’s award selections. Rachel Scott received recognition for reporting on an assassination attempt against Trump, despite previous media speculation questioning the incident’s authenticity. Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani were honored for their reporting on the Biden White House altering an official transcript, a practice many conservative observers had long alleged occurred without mainstream media attention. These selections prompted questions about whether the WHCA was acknowledging past journalistic failures while attempting to restore credibility.
The Future of White House Media Relations
In his address to attendees, Daniels delivered an impassioned defense of the press corps while acknowledging the difficult climate. “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!” The statement highlighted the ongoing tension between the media and political leaders, particularly in an era where trust in journalism has declined significantly among many Americans.
“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. Our responsibility is not to align with any one party or any one agenda, but to serve the people of this country with integrity and dedication. It is a duty we hold in the highest regard, knowing that the work we do helps strengthen the fabric of our democracy,” Eugene Daniels said.
As the evening concluded with a video montage of former Presidents speaking about press freedom, the fundamental question remained unanswered: can this institutional pillar of Washington journalism culture evolve to meet the challenges of a deeply divided media landscape? While the WHCA’s efforts to refocus on substantive journalism mark a potential step forward, whether this approach will resonate with an increasingly skeptical public remains to be seen.
