Biden Mocks Trump at Correspondents’ Dinner as Pro-Palestinian Protesters Gather Outside

Large protests erupted outside a glitzy roast attended by President Joe Biden, journalists, politicians, and celebrities, coinciding with the war in Gaza. However, inside the event, participants barely acknowledged the ongoing conflict, as Biden used the annual White House correspondents’ dinner to deliver a mix of jokes and serious warnings about his Republican rival, Donald Trump, and his pursuit of the U.S. presidency.

Traditionally, this evening is dedicated to presidents, journalists, and comedians playfully poking fun at political scandals and each other. However, this year’s event seemed to highlight the challenge of setting aside the upcoming presidential election and the global issues, including the Middle East crisis.

Biden kicked off his roast by humorously focusing on Trump, playfully referring to him as “sleepy Don” in response to a nickname previously given by Trump to the president. Despite being similar in age, Biden emphasized the differences between him and the former president, mentioning that his vice president actually endorses him, while former Vice President Mike Pence declined to endorse Trump’s re-election bid.

Soon after, Biden transitioned to a more serious tone, delivering a somber speech about the stakes involved in this election. He expressed his belief that another Trump administration would be even more detrimental to America than his first term. Referring to the Capitol riot on January 6, Biden urged the audience to take the situation seriously, emphasizing the consequences of disregarding the rhetoric used by Trump and his supporters.

Notably, Trump did not attend the dinner, and during his presidency, he never attended the annual event. In 2011, he was present in the audience and received a scathing roast from then-President Barack Obama about his celebrity status in reality television. Many observers speculate that Obama’s sarcastic remarks may have influenced Trump’s decision to run for president in 2016.

In his approximately 10-minute speech, Biden did not mention the ongoing war in Gaza or the escalating humanitarian crisis. The only brief reference to the conflict came from Kelly O’Donnell, the president of the correspondents’ association, who acknowledged the deaths of around 100 journalists in Israel’s six-month-long war against Hamas in Gaza. O’Donnell also mentioned journalists who have been detained worldwide, including Evan Gershkovich in Russia and Austin Tice, believed to be held in Syria. The families of both men were present, as they have been in previous years.

To attend the dinner, some guests had to navigate through a throng of protesters who were outraged by the worsening humanitarian situation for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The protesters condemned Biden for supporting Israel’s military campaign and criticized Western news outlets for their alleged undercoverage and misrepresentation of the conflict.

Protesters, draped in traditional Palestinian keffiyeh cloth, shouted “Shame on you!” as they chased after elegantly dressed guests rushing into the dinner venue. At one point, the crowd chanted, “Western media, we see you, and all the horrors that you hide.” Some protesters lay motionless on the ground next to mock flak vests with “press” labels.

The demonstrators passionately cried out for a free Palestine, and their spirits lifted when someone inside the Washington Hilton unfurled a Palestinian flag from a top-floor window during the event.

Criticism of the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has also spread to American college campuses, where students have set up encampments and endured police interventions to pressure universities into divesting from Israel. Counterprotests in support of Israel’s offensive have argued against accusations of antisemitism.

To avoid the crowds of protesters, Biden’s motorcade took an alternate route from the White House to the Washington Hilton, deviating from the usual path taken in previous years.

The event held on Saturday attracted nearly 3,000 attendees, including notable celebrities such as Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, and Chris Pine.

During the event, both President Biden and comedian Colin Jost took playful jabs at the age of the presidential candidates. Jost humorously remarked, “I’m not saying both candidates are old. But you know Jimmy Carter is out there thinking, ‘maybe I can win this thing.’ He’s only 99.”

Law enforcement, including the Secret Service, implemented additional street closures and security measures to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for the attendees, as mentioned by Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

Protest organizers aimed to draw attention to the significant number of Palestinian and other Arab journalists who have lost their lives due to Israel’s military actions since the beginning of the war in October. Over two dozen journalists in Gaza wrote a letter last week calling for a complete boycott of the dinner by their colleagues in Washington.

The letter highlighted the toll exacted on journalists, including detentions, interrogations, and torture by the Israeli military, all in the pursuit of journalistic integrity. One organizer expressed disappointment in the lack of response from the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which represents the journalists covering the president, regarding the killings of Palestinian journalists. The WHCA did not provide a comment in response to the matter.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), nearly 100 journalists have been killed while covering the war in Gaza. Israel has defended its actions, stating that its targets have been militants.

Carlos Martínez de la Serna, the CPJ Program Director, emphasized the sacrifices made by journalists in the Israel-Gaza war, stating that they pay the highest price—their lives—in defense of the right to the truth.

Sandra Tamari, the executive director of Adalah Justice Project, a U.S.-based Palestinian advocacy group involved in organizing the letter from Gaza journalists, criticized the media for dining and laughing with President Biden while he enables the Israeli actions that devastate and starve Palestinians in Gaza.

Furthermore, Adalah Justice Project initiated an email campaign directed at 12 media executives from various news outlets, including The Associated Press, who were expected to attend the dinner. This campaign targeted executives who had previously signed a letter advocating for the protection of journalists in Gaza. Demonstrators questioned the decision of attendees to go to the event despite the request from their colleagues in Gaza to abstain, accusing them of complicity.