Peter Baker, The New York Times's chief White House correspondent, urged the White House Correspondents' Association to "rethink" its annual dinner after President Trump’s recent appearance, saying the event did not advance First Amendment goals. Baker posted his critique on X the day after a rescheduled dinner that had originally been set for April 25 but was moved after another assassination attempt on the president cut that earlier event short. His wife, New Yorker writer Susan Glasser, also faulted the evening. The call to reconsider comes amid ongoing tensions between Baker and Trump and high-profile moments from the dinner that many found objectionable.
Top NYT White House Reporter Urges Rethink Of Correspondents' Dinner After Trump Appearance
Peter Baker, The New York Times's chief White House correspondent, called on the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to reconsider its annual dinner after the recent event featuring President Donald Trump, saying it did not "advance" First Amendment priorities.
Baker posted his reaction on X the day after the rescheduled dinner. The event had been moved from April 25 after that night's program was cut short minutes after it began because of another reported assassination attempt on the president.
“Have been a member of the WHCA almost continuously since the 1990s. Our mission is to defend the First Amendment rights of White House correspondents to report on the president without fear or favor. Unfortunately last night did not advance that cause. Time to rethink the dinner.”
His wife, New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser, echoed his concerns on social media, posting: #FirstAmendment. If journalists won't stand up for it, hard to ask everyone else to.
Baker's critique is notable given his recent recognition by the association: two years ago he received the WHCD award for "Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure" for his reporting on then-President Joe Biden's trip to Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. He accepted the honor and a $2,500 prize at the ceremony.
The relationship between Baker and Trump has been adversarial. In March 2025, the president launched a public attack on Baker, his wife and other New York Times staff on social media. Baker has also written critically about Trump in recent pieces, saying the president has at times "demonstrated once again a brazen willingness to advance distortions, conspiracy theories and outright lies to justify major policy decisions." He has further remarked that some of Trump’s threats and public rants have given the impression of "a deranged autocrat mad with power."
Baker's call to reconsider the dinner followed several attention-grabbing moments at Friday night's program, including President Trump comparing CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and mocking California Governor Gavin Newsom. Video highlights of the event were circulated by major outlets, including CNN.
With growing concerns about whether the traditional Washington gathering still serves its stated mission—to defend press freedom while holding power to account—Baker and other journalists are asking whether the WHCA should rethink the format, timing and participation of future dinners.
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