When Donald Trump attends the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday evening, a question on the minds of many is what he will say, who will he attack, and how long he will speak.
Among those who may be in the crowd is California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Newsom has been attending weekend events, and told Deadline on Saturday afternoon, “I just don’t know. Honestly, I am just totally deciding. It’s just a quality of life. I’m just looking at my quality of life. I’m a little bit selfish in that way.”
Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate who has emerged as Trump’s most prominent Democratic foe with relentless mocking and trolling on social media, also offered some thoughts on what he thinks the president will say.
“He’s not going to change. I mean, look, he’s in a bad space and in a tough spot. I expect this to be half scripted and half just rambling,” Newsom said. “There was a moment for a reset for him, and he needs it. I thought he needed it at the State of the Union. I think he’s capable of a reset. I think they tried. … I mean, this is an opportunity for a reset. It’s only a few of these moments that he could advance. So it would be nice if he would just tonally change his approach and celebrate some civility, but I don’t expect any.”
Asked if he expects Trump to attack him, Newsom said, “If I am in the room, yeah.”
The dinner itself is expected to draw heavily from Trump administration figures, unlike last year, when few attended because of the president’s boycott.
“I’m chum in the water for him, and I know that. In some ways, it’s predictable. Some days that is meaningful and could be easily manipulated and other days, I may have other things I want to do.”
Trump is attending the dinner for the first time as president. His appearance has generated fierce debate given his attacks on the media and the use of the regulatory power to punish media outlets. Speaking to reporters, Newsom also pointed to the Trump administration’s lenient posture toward media consolidation, calling the concentration of the press “a disgrace.”
The Garden Brunch, a longtime Correspondents’ weekend tradition, drew a mixture of media figures, executions and politicos on the right and the left. Others attending included Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, Dr. Mehmet Oz and former House Speaker Paul Ryan.
