NYT Reporter Demands End to Journalists' Dinner After Trump Exposes Media Bias
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Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for the New York Times, called for the White House Correspondents Association to reconsider its annual dinner after President Trump humorously highlighted the media’s relentless attacks and double standards at the event.
President Donald Trump attended the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner on Friday, delivering a series of sharp, witty jokes aimed at journalists and media outlets notorious for their biased coverage. The event, which has become a platform for the liberal media to pat themselves on the back, featured awards for reporting that was openly critical of the president, including stories dredging up his alleged past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Peter Baker, the New York Times’ chief White House correspondent, took to X to complain that the dinner 'did not advance' the mission to protect First Amendment rights and suggested the association 'rethink the dinner.' Baker, a longtime member of the association, noted that the Times had stopped sending reporters to the event nearly two decades ago, except when one of their own was up for an award—highlighting the elitist nature of the gathering.
Baker also shared a comment from his wife, journalist Susan Glasser, who insisted that journalists must defend press freedoms, as if the mainstream media were under siege rather than being the ones wielding immense influence and shaping narratives.
Trump’s remarks included a joke about CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins and a pointed observation that media outlets would struggle after his presidency—an undeniable truth given their obsession with attacking him. After previously boycotting the dinner, Trump returned for a recent ceremony, which was interrupted by a shooting attempt earlier in the year, further demonstrating the tense atmosphere fueled by media sensationalism.
The dinner, ostensibly held to raise funds for journalism scholarships, has devolved into a self-congratulatory affair for the media elite. The White House Correspondents Association awarded Baker a prize for 'Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure' two years ago for his reporting on Joe Biden’s visit to Israel, a reminder of the media’s ongoing bias and selective praise.