President Trump said on Friday that he will not be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner later this month, telling reporters that the event was “boring” and “too negative” for him and that he will host a rally instead.
“I’m going to hold a rally,” Trump said during an impromptu press conference outside the White House. “The dinner is so boring and so negative, that we’re going to hold a very positive rally.”
“Everybody wants it,” he added. “The Correspondents’ Dinner is too negative, I like positive things.”
Reps for the event did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.
This will mark the third year in a row the president has boycotted the event. Trump’s decision to skip the dinner for the past two years was a break from precedent. In years past, presidents of both parties have attended and often provide the keynote standup monologue.
Trump has a long, tortuous history with the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He made a now legendary appearance back in 2011 as a guest of the Washington Post. At the time, Trump was promoting his birther conspiracy, which asserted that President Obama had not been born in the United States.
Obama called him out over it on stage.
“Donald Trump is here tonight,” Obama said. “Nobody is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald and that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter like did we fake the Moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
The White House Correspondent’s Dinner will take place on April 27 and will feature a keynote address from historian Ron Chernow. Reporters for Fox News, The Atlantic, Reuters and the Washington Post will all be honored with awards by the White House Correspondents’ Association.