“OFF THE CHARTS”
Trump offered rare praise for the press in the immediate aftermath of the dinner, and praised their decision to go ahead with a re-run as a “sign of strength and fortitude”.
But he has hinted that he might go back to his old habits in his speech on Friday.
“I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out,” Trump said in June when he announced that he would attend.
“In any event, it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket!”
Trump’s attendance at the dinner in April was his first in either of his two terms as president, reflecting his disdain for the media he has branded the “enemy of the people”.
As well as Trump’s speech, the rescheduled dinner will keep to a similar programme that includes a performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman.
But it will also include a tribute to a Secret Service agent who helped stop the alleged gunman in April despite being struck in his protective vest, and to the staff of the Hilton.
The head of the Secret Service said it was ready for the rescheduled dinner, despite facing criticism over the original incident.
“It did work, the system worked,” director Sean Curran told reporters on Wednesday, insisting that a cordon had prevented the alleged attacker from reaching the main hall where the dinner was taking place in April.
But Curran, who was at Trump’s side when an assassin’s bullet hit the Republican’s ear at an election rally in 2024, said that current threats against top US officials were “off the charts”.
“The threat picture and environment is as large as I’ve ever seen it,” added Curran.