White House reveals who’s joining Trump at correspondents’ dinner — and who can’t attend

[mystery-ak]

FIRST ON FOX: White House reveals who’s joining Trump at correspondents’ dinner — and who can’t attend
Ashley DiMella


FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will return to the stage Friday to deliver remarks at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, nearly three months after an armed suspect stormed the event in an alleged assassination attempt against him.

The White House exclusively confirmed to Fox News Digital the lineup of administration officials expected to attend the dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.

While much of Trump's Cabinet will attend, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not be there. A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital their absences are due to prior commitments.

Here's the lineup:

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt
    Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
    FBI Director Kash Patel
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon
    Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler
    Interior Secretary Doug Burgum
    Energy Secretary Chris Wright
    Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin
    War Secretary Pete Hegseth
    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
    Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
    Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling
    NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
    U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer
    Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll
    Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz

The banquet will be held at the Waldorf Astoria while the annual dinner has historically been held at the Washington Hilton. Chaos, however, broke out at this year’s banquet when an armed suspect stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president.

Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), said the event would be a "more intimate gathering" when the new date was announced in June.

Jiang announced the rescheduled date was decided by the WHCA board in an email to association members, sharing the rescheduled event will be a more "intimate gathering."

"This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above," Jiang added.

Ashley J. DiMella reports on politics for Fox News Digital.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/first-fox-white-house-reveals-whos-joining-trump-correspondents-dinner-who-cant-attend

[mountaineer]

In case anyone was wondering what was going on with the shooter ... not much.

WHCD gunman Cole Allen talking to feds about plea deal, lawyers reveal
By Josh Christenson and Ally Goelz   
Published June 29, 2026, 11:57 a.m. ET

 White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Allen is talking to federal prosecutors about taking a plea deal, his lawyers revealed Monday.

Allen entered the DC federal courtroom in an orange jumpsuit and shackles for the 10-minute hearing, where Department of Justice attorneys and the alleged assassin’s defense team mentioned a possible plea agreement.

“No plea offer has been extended up to this point,” noted prosecutor Adam Berry.

Defense lawyer Tezira Abe added, “There has been a potential discussion of a plea.” ... NY Post