President Donald Trump drew sharp criticism during the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association dinner Friday after joking about rapper Nicki Minaj while recalling the shooting that disrupted the organization's original gala earlier this year. The remark, delivered at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, quickly spread across social media, where critics accused the president of trivializing political violence and invoking racial and gender stereotypes, while supporters defended the joke as consistent with Trump's comedic style.
The annual gathering had already carried unusual significance after the original WHCA dinner was interrupted by what federal prosecutors describe as an attempted assassination targeting the president. The attack forced organizers to halt the event, abandon its traditional entertainment program and evacuate attendees amid an emergency lockdown.
Returning to the stage months later, Trump referenced that chaotic evening while recounting the reaction inside the ballroom. According to attendees, the president said, "many people yelled 'Get down, get down,' which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking. Get down, she's the only one who really understood it."
The audience reportedly responded with a mixture of laughter, groans and visible discomfort. The reaction online proved even more divided, with many users criticizing both the subject matter and the timing of the joke. One viewer wrote, "Racism, misogyny and jokes about shootings all rolled up in one crass comment," while another described it as "a wild way to bring Nicki Minaj into the conversation," questioning why Trump revisited an incident during which attendees feared for their safety.
Not all reactions were negative. Some supporters praised Trump's delivery, with one social media user writing, "Trump's timing is undefeated. Whether you laughed or groaned, that joke had the whole room reacting." Another post embraced the humor, stating, "HELP NOT NICKI WAS GETTING LOW ON THA FLOOR CHILE," as the remark quickly circulated across fan accounts.
The controversy also drew attention because of Minaj's public support for Trump. According to the report, the rapper has become one of the president's most visible celebrity allies, appearing at events including Turning Point USA's AmericaFest, a White House Rose Garden luncheon and the Trump Accounts Summit. The report also said Minaj has promoted Trump-linked financial initiatives and pledged between $150,000 and $300,000 to help fund accounts for supporters. She had not publicly responded to the president's joke at the time of publication.
The rescheduled dinner itself was designed to convey a different message following the earlier violence. White House Correspondents' Association President Weijia Jiang described the event beforehand as "a more intimate gathering" and said, "This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our programme. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence," adding that "courage and community can and should rise above."
Held under heightened security at Washington's Waldorf Astoria, the dinner featured a smaller guest list than usual. First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not attend. A White House spokesperson said Melania Trump's absence was due to prior commitments.
Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as Cole Tomas Allen, who has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal charges, including attempted assassination of the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and firearms offenses. If convicted on the most serious charges, he could face a life sentence. Against that unresolved legal backdrop, Trump's decision to inject humor into the events of the earlier attack became one of the night's defining moments and the focus of the public conversation that followed.
