The President of the United States, Donald Trump, once again demonstrated his direct and comedic style during the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), held on Friday night after being rescheduled due to a security incident. In an atmosphere marked by tensions between the president and much of the media, Trump combined humor, criticism of the press, and messages about his foreign policy, while joking about a potential presidential candidacy in 2028.
During the event, Trump appeared wearing a cap with the inscription ''Trump 2028'', which generated expectations about his future political intentions. The president took the opportunity to joke about a possible bid for a fourth term and stated that he was ''pleased to announce'' his intention to run for the presidency of the United States again. With his usual ironic tone, he added that he had ''won three times'' and that he was becoming ''very good'' at presidential campaigns.
Although his comments were clearly presented in a joking manner, Trump referenced his strong electoral support and his political trajectory. A potential candidacy for a third elected term would conflict with the Twenty-Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which limits elected presidential terms to two.
However, the president used the moment to reinforce his image as a political leader with a solid support base and to remind an audience mostly composed of journalists of his ability to challenge Washington's expectations.
Trump also dedicated a good part of his speech to questioning the coverage he receives from the media. He claimed that he believes some journalists do not feel sympathy for him and stated that he receives 93% negative coverage. With his characteristic sense of humor, he referred to the audience present as ''the largest group of people with Trump Derangement Syndrome'' gathered in one place.
