Trump Mocks Speechwriters After Sex Joke Falls Flat at Rescheduled WHCD

President Donald Trump delivered a wide-ranging address at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner on July 24 at Washington’s Waldorf Astoria, blending political remarks, media criticism and repeated attempts at humor.

Speaking months after an armed attack forced the event’s postponement, Trump raised the issue of congressional term limits, defended free speech and condemned political violence. He praised the Secret Service for their response to the April incident, when authorities say an alleged gunman, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, opened fire at the original gathering and was quickly detained.

One moment that drew attention was an anecdote about an elderly senator who supposedly received a text from his wife asking him to come upstairs to “make love.” According to Trump, the senator replied he “can’t do both,” a punchline that drew little reaction from the audience. Noticing the muted response, Trump singled out his speechwriters, quipping that the line was the best part of the prepared remarks and then attempting to further explain the joke while linking it to his argument for term limits.

“All joking aside, I do think we need term limits in Congress,” Trump said, before adding a defense of free speech and a condemnation of political violence: “We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate. And no deranged loser with a gun will ever change that.”

The speech included sharp criticism of major news outlets and named several CNN journalists by name. CNN chief executive Mark Thompson later issued a statement defending the network’s reporting and editorial independence. By contrast, Trump reserved warmer remarks for media executives he views as allies, including Larry Ellison and David Ellison, and commented on recent leadership changes at CBS News — including Bari Weiss’s appointment — with a mix of barbed humor and well-wishing.

Video clips from the dinner — especially the senator anecdote and subsequent explanation — circulated widely on social platforms and provoked strong reactions. Many users described the exchange as awkward or poorly delivered, while others defended the joke’s content and blamed the delivery. Online responses ranged from sharp ridicule to jokey defense that Trump’s timing undermined the line.

Overall, the rescheduled dinner combined policy points, media criticism and comic attempts that produced mixed results. The event’s tone was shaped by the earlier violent disruption and heightened security, factors that influenced attendance and the night’s atmosphere.

Key Quotes

Trump: “We settle our differences not with bullets, but with open and vigorous debate.”

CNN (Mark Thompson): “We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fair-mindedness with which the CNN team reports the news.”