Conservative commentator Scott Jennings praises and critiques Trump’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner remarks
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Scott Jennings commended President Trump’s opening and closing lines at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner but noted that the middle portion of the speech was likely to provoke controversy.
President Donald Trump, 80, addressed the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on July 24, an event that had been postponed after an earlier assassination attempt. Conservative political commentator Scott Jennings said the president’s opening line – “We do not yield to political violence” – was appropriate given the circumstances, and he highlighted Trump’s closing remark expressing respect for the journalists’ profession. > "He started the speech with something that I thought was good and necessary. We do not yield to political violence," Jennings told Mediaite.
Jennings added that the central portion of the hour-long speech would likely be seen as controversial, noting that some jokes landed while others did not. He described parts of the routine as veering into “ornery insults” that might not resonate with many audiences. > "Now the middle of it is going to be controversial because some of the jokes landed and some of the jokes didn't," he said.
During the dinner, Trump criticized CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, calling her award “fake,” and compared her to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, remarks that elicited responses from both individuals. Jennings identified the joke about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his favorite, referencing a quip about “enjoying the beef” and a fictional story of Kennedy running over a cow.
The commentator’s assessment reflects both praise for the president’s framing of the event and acknowledgment of the divisive nature of several of his jokes.