25 JUL 2026.
Donald Trump returned to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner three months after the original April gathering was shattered by a shooting and delivered what the room expected: an assault on the political press, Democratic adversaries and public figures. The smaller event at Washington’s Waldorf Astoria drew fewer than 700 guests, far below April’s crowd of more than 2,500. Trump mocked Kaitlan Collins, Chris Christie, Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff, joked about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and displayed a red Trump 2028 hat while teasing another campaign. The Washington Post characterized the hourlong address as bitter, rambling and frequently met with stunned silence, though some jokes drew laughter. (The Washington Post)
The real story was the collision between Trump and a press establishment that insists the evening celebrates the First Amendment while treating him as both its greatest villain and its most profitable attraction. Before speaking, Trump shook hands with Wall Street Journal reporters honored for their Epstein coverage and greeted journalists involved in disputes with his administration. Journalism groups had urged the correspondents’ association to denounce Trump’s treatment of reporters, while Trump defended investigations aimed at identifying leakers. The administration had recently sought reporters’ phone records in connection with leaked security information concerning a Qatari-provided aircraft intended for presidential use. (The Washington Post)
The dinner became less a comedy gala than a confrontation. Trump abandoned the ritual of self-deprecation and delivered a rally-style performance inside hostile territory. The reporters stared, the president swung and the supposedly convivial Washington tradition exposed the mutual contempt beneath the tuxedos.
Trump’s insult-laden speech to press dinner draws mostly stunned silence
The president addressed a smaller, heavily secured gathering Friday as his administration intensifies its legal and rhetorical attacks on journalists.
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Larkin Poe transforms Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” into a fierce, rootsy showcase of slide guitar, vocal grit and sisterly chemistry. Rather than imitate the original, they strip it down and rebuild it with Southern blues muscle, swampy rhythm and raw emotional urgency. Rebecca Lovell’s voice carries both defiance and ache, while Megan Lovell’s slide work cuts through with precision. It honors the classic without becoming trapped by it, proving a great song can survive reinvention beautifully for new generations.
Derek & The Dominoes “Layla” (Larkin Poe Cover)
As artists, we aspire to keep learning the songs that move and inspire us. We want you to share in the experience – this is one of the songs that has shaped us. Larkin Poe’s album of stripped-down cover songs, “Kindred Spirits” is out now!
