Journalists Urge WHCA to Defend Press at Trump Dinner

More than 250 journalists and journalism organizations have signed an open letter urging the White House Correspondents Association to use its annual dinner this Saturday in Washington to publicly defend press freedom and condemn attacks on the media during President Donald Trump's attendance.

The letter, addressed to the association on Monday, calls for a member to deliver a forceful statement from the podium in defense of the First Amendment, followed by a standing toast to the constitutional right. "Speak forcefully, in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country's long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press," the letter states. It emphasizes that freedom of the press is not a partisan issue and that the association should not normalize efforts to restrict journalistic work.

Signatories include prominent veterans such as former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, former ABC News anchor Sam Donaldson, and former NBC News host Ann Curry, as well as groups like the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Coalition for Women in Journalism, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation. The letter describes the Trump...