President Donald Trump announced on Saturday he will be holding a “BIG rally’ in Pennsylvania next Saturday night, April 29–the same time as the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner that Trump had previously announced he would not be attending. The date also marks Trump’s 100th day as president.
Trump announced the Pennsylvania rally on Twitter, but did not provide details as to the city or time, “Next Saturday night I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it!”
The schedule page at the Trump campaign website does not yet show any rallies scheduled. (UPDATE: Page updated with rally details. The rally will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg.)
Next Saturday night I will be holding a BIG rally in Pennsylvania. Look forward to it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2017
Trump posted in February he would not be attending the dinner, “I will not be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!”
I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017
A month later it was announced White House staff would boycott the dinner in ‘solidarity’ with the President.
WHCA statement on White House participation in this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner #WHCD pic.twitter.com/IPUOGFJFqR
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) March 28, 2017
Trmp holding a rally at the same time as the WHCA Dinner will pull many correspondents and support staff away from the dinner to cover Trump.
The dinner is the biggest night for journalism, nicknamed the ‘Nerd Prom’, and is attended by thousands of people who work in the media as well as invited guests from politics and the entertainment industry. The dinner’s purpose as a fundraiser for journalism scholarships has long been overshadowed by the ‘celebrity party’ culture the dinner evolved since the 1990s.
Trump is the first president in over thirty years to skip the dinner and the first to ‘counter-program’ opposite the dinner.