The Speech I wish the WHCA President Would Give in Front of Donald Trump

To Donald Trump, subtlety - in words or fashion gestures - gets you nowhere. I hope Jiang chooses clarity. Here’s what she could say:

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On Saturday, Donald Trump will attend his first White House Correspondents’ Association’s (WHCA) annual dinner as president. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, ”In honor of our Nation’s 250th Birthday, and the fact that these ‘Correspondents’ now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation, and work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”

For its part the WHCA said it was “happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him.”

When WHCA President and CBS correspondent Weijia Jiang delivers remarks at the dinner, she has a choice. She can offer a perfunctory, forgettable speech thanking the president and relying on familiar platitudes - or she can state plainly and directly that journalists are not the enemy, that accountability is not hostility, and that Trump’s attacks on the press and the First Amendment are in stark conflict with the principles the WHCA purports to uphold.

To Donald Trump, subtlety - in words or fashion gestures - gets you nowhere. I hope Jiang chooses clarity. Here’s what she could say:

Mr. President, thank you for attending the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner, just as your predecessors have done.

Tonight’s dinner is not about me, it’s not about you, and it’s not even about our headline entertainer, mentalist Oz Pearlman. Tonight is about celebrating the First Amendment, the importance of a free press, and honoring hard-working journalists inside and outside this room.

I’ll be honest: we have heard from many who did not believe the White House Correspondents’ Association should invite you here. Your words and actions - over the past 16 months alone - have repeatedly stood in direct opposition to the principles this organization exists to uphold. But I’m glad you’re here so you can hear directly from us.

From the founding of this nation, journalists have held presidents to account, regardless of who occupied the White House. Last year, for instance, the WHCA presented Alex Thompson of Axios with its highest honor for his reporting on questions surrounding President Joe Biden’s fitness for office.

Since George Washington, our leaders have understood that while the press may be a thorn in their side, its independence is a hallmark of our democracy.

In contrast to past presidents, however, you have responded to journalists doing their job by questioning, dismissing, and going so far as to undermine a free and independent press.

Journalism is grounded in evidence, so here are the facts about what you’ve said and done:

You have called for changing libel laws so when journalists “write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.”

You have sued multiple media organizations for their reporting, including one outlet, The Wall Street Journal, which is receiving an award tonight for its coverage of a letter you sent to Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday.

You have repeatedly called for the FCC to revoke the broadcast licenses of networks who aired “BAD STORIES” about you.

The Department of Justice has arrested and charged journalists in connection with protests they were covering.

The FBI searched a reporter’s home and seized materials.

You have claimed that reporters covering the conflict in Iran should be “brought up on Charges for TREASON” - a crime punishable by death.

While you have offered White House reporters significant access - holding frequent gaggles and taking calls directly - you have also sought to limit, control, and at times retaliate against coverage you view as unfavorable.

• The White House ended the long-standing practice of the WHCA independently managing press pool rotations.

• You restricted the Associated Press from access to the Oval Office and Air Force One after it continued to use the “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting.

• The Pentagon closed the decades-old Correspondents’ Corridor and instituted a “pledge” requiring reporters to agree not to seek information - unclassified or otherwise - without prior approval, resulting in the revocation of press credentials.

Finally, you have insulted reporters in personal and degrading terms. As president you have responded to the coverage and questions of reporters - often women and people of color - by saying: “quiet piggy”, “you’re a stupid person,” “you’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” someone is “a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out,” and another for “not smiling.”

Some have criticized the WHCA for not publicly standing up for individual reporters who were on the receiving end of these attacks. That criticism is justified. We should have done so clearly in the moment, and we must do so consistently going forward. Acknowledging errors builds trust in journalism; being defensive about them further erodes it.

Mr. President: we are not “fake news”, we are not “unpatriotic”, and we are not the “enemy of the people.” Like those before us, we are simply doing our jobs - asking tough questions, reporting the facts, and holding those in power accountable.

We are not asking for your approval or affection; we are asking for a return to the American tradition that protects the First Amendment and recognizes a free and independent press as essential to a functioning democracy.

Zach Goldberg is a communications consultant and previously was a Congressional press secretary.