The White House Correspondents ‘ Association ( WHCA ) dropped American comedian Amber Ruffin as the headliner for its annual dinner, citing ongoing tensions with President Donald Trump.
Ruffin, known for her social humour, recently criticised Trump and joked that no one would want to attend the event with him. A White House official explicitly condemned both her look and the WHCA’s choice to ask her, reigniting tension between the management and the push.
In an email to members on Saturday, WHCA leader Eugene Daniels announced that the committee had unanimously decided to forgo a humorous performance completely this year.
” At this crucial time for news, I want to maintain the emphasis is not on the politics of sector but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their excellent work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists”, Daniels wrote.
More information on the April 26 dinner may be shared closer to the occasion, he added.
A White House official dismissed the judgement as” a cop-out”.
The move comes amid a widening gap between the Trump administration and the WHCA, an impartial figure representing reporters covering the White House. Since returning to office in January, Trump has frequently challenged the organisation’s power.
In February, his presidency stripped the WHCA of its near-century-old power to determine which reporters gain access to political activities. Trump, in change, declared that he was now” calling the pictures” on media exposure, with the White House stating that the relationship had no longer carry a “monopoly” over the media share selection process.
The press pool, a small rotating group of reporters covering the president in close quarters, including the Oval Office and Air Force One, plays a crucial role in ensuring broad media coverage of official engagements. The WHCA slammed the White House’s decision, warning that it “tears at the independence of the free press”.
Additionally, administration also barred reporters from the AP from the Oval Office and Air Force One since February as the news agency refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the” Gulf of America”, as per Trump’s decree.
