White House Correspondents’ Association Scraps Comedian as Headliner for Annual Dinner
The board of the group reached a unanimous decision to discontinue the comedic performance, as stated by WHCA President Eugene Daniels in an email sent on Saturday.
TroibNews 
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has decided to cancel comedian Amber Ruffin’s scheduled performance at its annual dinner next month, amidst ongoing tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration.
In an email to members on Saturday afternoon, WHCA President Eugene Daniels noted, “The WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year,” emphasizing that the event's focus will be on honoring the journalists in the association rather than "the politics of division."
This decision follows criticism from White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, who condemned the association for planning to feature Ruffin, a comedian known for her critical views on the administration.
The relationship between the WHCA and the White House has soured, particularly as the Trump administration has repeatedly targeted the press. The White House recently announced plans to take over the organization of the rotating press pool that covers the president—a responsibility that has traditionally been managed by the WHCA—and has excluded The Associated Press from certain events.
Budowich responded to the cancellation of Ruffin’s performance, referring to the statement as a “cop out.” He added, “No accountability at WHCA, just a cop out statement—pathetic!” expressing disappointment in how swiftly the association has seemed to lose its influence.
Eugene Daniels, who previously served as a PMG reporter and is set to co-host a show on MSNBC, had initially announced last month that Ruffin would headline the dinner, noting that her “unique talents are the ideal fit for this current political and cultural climate.”
Ruffin, who boasts nominations for both Emmy and Tony awards, is also a writer for NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and has taken aim at various Trump administration policies in recent weeks. In one segment of “Amber Says What?” on Meyers’ show, she critiqued the White House for its directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, quipping, “I was like ‘What! Now you care about deadnaming?’” which elicited laughter from the audience.
It remains uncertain whether the president will attend the dinner next month, having skipped the festivities during his first term.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
In an email to members on Saturday afternoon, WHCA President Eugene Daniels noted, “The WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year,” emphasizing that the event's focus will be on honoring the journalists in the association rather than "the politics of division."
This decision follows criticism from White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, who condemned the association for planning to feature Ruffin, a comedian known for her critical views on the administration.
The relationship between the WHCA and the White House has soured, particularly as the Trump administration has repeatedly targeted the press. The White House recently announced plans to take over the organization of the rotating press pool that covers the president—a responsibility that has traditionally been managed by the WHCA—and has excluded The Associated Press from certain events.
Budowich responded to the cancellation of Ruffin’s performance, referring to the statement as a “cop out.” He added, “No accountability at WHCA, just a cop out statement—pathetic!” expressing disappointment in how swiftly the association has seemed to lose its influence.
Eugene Daniels, who previously served as a PMG reporter and is set to co-host a show on MSNBC, had initially announced last month that Ruffin would headline the dinner, noting that her “unique talents are the ideal fit for this current political and cultural climate.”
Ruffin, who boasts nominations for both Emmy and Tony awards, is also a writer for NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and has taken aim at various Trump administration policies in recent weeks. In one segment of “Amber Says What?” on Meyers’ show, she critiqued the White House for its directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, quipping, “I was like ‘What! Now you care about deadnaming?’” which elicited laughter from the audience.
It remains uncertain whether the president will attend the dinner next month, having skipped the festivities during his first term.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
