Dan Rather among journalists urging White House Correspondents' Dinner to call out Trump

More than 200 journalists, including Dan Rather, signed an open letter asking the White House Correspondents' Association to publicly confront President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner; the letter lists a range of actions it describes as attacks on press freedom and several journalism organizations co-signed. The White House responded by citing a Truth Social post in which the president confirmed he would attend.

More than 200 journalists have signed an open letter urging the White House Correspondents' Association to call out President Donald Trump at the upcoming White House Correspondents' Dinner. The letter says the dinner should not be "business as usual" given what signatories describe as systematic and sustained efforts to undermine the press. It lists a range of actions the writers say exemplify those efforts and notes several journalism organizations have co-signed. The White House pointed to the president's Truth Social post announcing he will attend. Reported details: - The open letter calls on WHCA leadership to use the dinner podium to demonstrate opposition to what signatories describe as threats to press freedom. - The letter lists examples it labels as the administration's attacks on the press, including retaliatory access bans, regulatory investigations, lawsuits against news organizations, cuts to public broadcasting, restrictions on journalists, personal verbal attacks, arrests of journalists, and pardons of those who committed violence against the press. - Notable signatories include Dan Rather, Sam Donaldson, Ann Curry and Stephanie Sy. - Several journalism groups co-signed the letter, including the National Association of Black Journalists and the Freedom of the Press Foundation. - The White House referenced a Truth Social post in which the president said he accepted the invitation because the WHCA asked "very nicely" and called himself one of the "Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country." - This will be President Trump's first time attending the dinner as president after previously not attending. Summary: The letter frames the president's attendance as a contradiction of the dinner's purpose and urges a public rebuke from the podium; the White House has confirmed the president will attend. Undetermined at this time.