BURSTPresident Trump is not expected to attend next weekend's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, The Hill confirmed Tuesday.
Trump did not attend any of the annual dinners during his first term, bucking a tradition that went back several administrations.
Earlier this year, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not rule out the possibility of Trump attending the dinner when asked by reporters. Though she did say she would not make an appearance.
“When he makes his decision, I will let you all know,” she said at the time. “But definitely an interesting choice of a comedian. I’ll talk to the boss and see what we decide.”
The White House Correspondents' Association had been planning to feature comedian Amber Ruffin as the entertainment for the April 26 dinner.
But the association changed course late last month, with its President Eugene Daniels saying the event would no longer feature Ruffin and that he wants "to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists."
Trump's decision not to attend comes amid a time of heightened tensions between the West Wing, the association, and the press more generally.
The White House recently took control of who is included in the press pool and banned The Associated Press from the pool over its style on "Gulf of America."