Washington: US President Donald Trump, who often accuses the media of spreading fake news, will skip the annual White House Correspondents Dinner in second year in a row.
White House Correspondents' Association president Margaret Talev confirmed that the President does not plan to participate in the dinner on April 28.
This is for the second consecutive year that Trump has declined to attend the annual mega event of the journalists who cover the White House. Held every year, mostly on the last Saturday of April, the White House Correspondents Dinner is considered as a signature event in the nation's capital and has been addressed by the presidents in the past.
However, unlike last year, senior administration officials, including White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, would be attending the dinner. "The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year's dinner but that he will actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment," Talev said.
"In keeping with tradition, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also will represent the administration at the head table. The April 28 dinner celebrates award-winning reporting, scholarship winners and the vital role of the First Amendment and the free press in American democracy." Talev said. Trump, who frequently criticizes the national news media, often targets negative news stories about his administration or outlets that cover his presidency critically as "fake news."
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