The White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD), hosted by Vice President Joe Biden, took place at the Washington Hilton with 2,600 attendees comprising journalists, politicians, and celebrities. The event aimed to celebrate the importance of free speech and press freedom.
In his address to the audience, Biden acknowledged dinner attendee WNBA star Brittney Griner, journalist Austin Tice's mother, as well as Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. He also mentioned Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine currently detained in Russia. The president promised that neither he nor his administration would quit until Whelan was freed.
Despite its purposeful focus on free speech and journalistic integrity, the WHCD faced criticism from Republicans and some media outlets. Nevertheless, attendees filled up the ballroom in anticipation of an evening dedicated to celebrating journalism.
A video featuring actor Arnold Schwarzenegger opened the awards segment of the night; he emphasized "the important importance" of relationships between politicians and press members while acknowledging their sometimes adversarial nature.
Following two years without a WHCD due to COVID-19 restrictions (2020 & 2021), this year's annual roast drew notable guests such as John Legend, Chrissy Teigen Rosario Dawson – all present for an evening commemorating democracy in action through a free press.
President Biden also addressed Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis during his speech which came days after announcing his widely-expected reelection campaign. As part of his call for unity among Americans defending democracy against misinformation efforts like book bans or barring elected representatives from serving their communities truthfully – Biden urged those listening always to embrace truth over division:
"We must defend democracy together," said Joe Biden at one point during his impassioned plea towards working collectively across political lines when engaging with difficult subjects that challenge our convictions but ultimately strengthen them through discourse rooted firmly in facts rather than falsehoods.