Since being elected in November, it is safe to say that Trump’s relationship with the press has been anything but smooth. From locking them in basements to not allowing them to attend press briefings, some would even say that their relationship is quite unhealthy, to say the least.
So, what do you typically do when you find yourself in an unhealthy relationship? Well, you either attempt to fix it by communicating with your partner or you dump them. Trump, the Commander in Chief of the United States of America, is taking an unconventional path instead: running away. Mature, right?
On Saturday, Trump communicated to the world using his favorite social media site, Twitter, that he would not be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017
“I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!” Trump said about the event, which is to take place on April 29.
The dinner is typically quite star-studded, with anyone from Kendall Jenner to Meryl Streep being in attendance, so one would think that this would be Trump’s favorite kind of event.
According to NPR, the annual event honors journalism with awards and scholarships, but because of Trump’s relationship with journalists and the press thus far (see above), it is not surprising that he will not be in attendance.
The last president to miss the function was Ronald Reagan in 1981, who actually had a pretty good excuse—he was recovering from being shot. Trump’s excuse? “This wasn’t a president that was elected to spend his time with reporters and celebrities,” his deputy press secretary told ABC.
So basically, Trump does not want to be in a room with people who dislike him because that may set him up for humiliation of some kind. Makes sense.