Melania Trump Will Skip Rescheduled WHCA Dinner; White House Cites Prior Commitments After April Shooting

President Donald Trump and journalists who cover his administration will gather for the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner on Friday, July 24 — but First Lady Melania Trump will not attend, the White House said, citing prior commitments. The decision comes months after gunfire outside the April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton forced an abrupt evacuation.

First lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on July 19 in East Rutherford, N.J.Credit: MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP via Getty

What Happened In April

Gunfire outside the April 25 event scattered guests and reporters as Secret Service agents quickly escorted the president, the first lady, Vice President J.D. Vance and other senior officials out of the ballroom. Authorities later charged 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen; he has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal counts, including attempting to assassinate the president and weapons charges.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, first lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, and CBS journalist and White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang attend the association's annual dinner on April 25 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

White House Statement And Reactions

In the immediate aftermath, Melania Trump's senior adviser, Marc Beckman, told PEOPLE the first lady "was not frightened" and "would not be deterred" from public duties, adding that she "will not stop working as first lady of the United States." Despite that stance, the White House told Fox News that Melania, Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend the rescheduled dinner due to prior commitments; the administration did not specify which obligations conflicted with the event.

White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino jumps over a chair after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner on April 25 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Who Will Attend And Why It Matters

Several Cabinet-level officials are expected to attend, including FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the administration said. Vance's absence has drawn attention because the April chaos briefly raised questions about the presidential line of succession: at the time, the president, vice president and House Speaker Mike Johnson were all in the ballroom.

Honors And Tone For The Evening

WHCA President Weijia Jiang — who was seated near the president during the April incident — has emphasized resilience, saying she wants the rescheduled event to be a celebration rather than a memorial. The dinner will honor Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales, who was struck by a bullet but not seriously injured thanks to a ballistic vest, and Washington Hilton staff who assisted guests amid the evacuation. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, who witnessed the shooting, will present awards originally planned for the first dinner. Mentalist Oz Pearlman will return as the night's entertainer.

Remarks And Logistics

President Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks around 9 p.m. ET. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the evening a chance to "celebrate 250 years of American greatness and a free press," and encouraged viewers to tune in for what she described as "a speech to remember."

Note: The administration has not disclosed which prior commitments prevent the attendance of the first lady, the vice president and the secretary of state.