Comedian Amber Ruffin, selected as a celebrity for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this year, revealed in an interview with CNN that he doesn’t want to attend the president.
White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt told the Daily Coller on Wednesday that he is still considering whether both President Donald Trump will attend the WHCA dinner in April. Trump did not attend during his first term. (Related: White House Press chooses queer, anti-racist “comedian” to host Trump’s correspondent’s dinner)
Ruffin told CNN host Jake Tapper that she suspects everyone is “looking forward to” attendance, adding that she is not going to distribute the jokes to those she agrees to.
“So the US president traditionally attends this dinner. But Donald Trump has never been to it during his first term. Do you want him to be there this year?” Tupper asked Ruffin.
“No. No one wants to know – no one wants to do that. Certainly, it’s something to do. But I can’t imagine him doing that. I can’t imagine him doing that. He should. “I miss one cool thing about being president of the United States. But I don’t know that no one is looking forward to being in the same room as him,” explains Ruffin. I did.
🚨new🚨After @presssec say @dailycaller Trump is still considering an invitation to his WHCA dinner, anti-Trump comedian Amber Ruffin has gone to CNN and said she doesn’t want him there. https://t.co/bdpkfmokrm pic.twitter.com/azzblec49p
-My daily caller (@DAILYCALLER) February 6, 2025
Leavitt called Ruffin “a certainly an interesting choice” after Daily Caller asked what the White House response was for the Entertainment Pick. Before Ruffin explained Trump as a “child with pants pulled down.”
🚨watch🚨@presssec I smirk like she says @Reaganreese_ The anti-Trump comedian @ambermruffin It’s “Undoubtedly an interesting choice” in the WHCA annual dinner headline. pic.twitter.com/6xmmetxaf
-My daily caller (@DAILYCALLER) February 5th, 2025
Tupper later asked Ruffin if any of the past hosts of dinner gave her any advice on how to handle the night.
“They also said you have to tease everyone. You can’t beat people you don’t agree with, you have to spread it evenly. And I’ll I’m not going to do that,” Ruffin said with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll do a bit of that, probably not.”
WHCA president and Politico reporter Eugene Daniels nominated Ruffin as a celebrity on Tuesday. statement That the comedian was at the top of his list about who to choose for the event.
“Amber’s unique talent is ideal for the current political and cultural environment,” said Daniels. “Her perspective fits the dinner tradition that celebrates press freedom while roasting the most powerful people in all aspects of the aisle and the journalists who cover them.”
“This dinner is centered around the importance of a functioning democracy, and Amber is the type of entertainer who understands both the importance of this mission and the dynamics of power in this country,” he continued. .
In an interview, Ruffin added that she plans to approach the night by “telling the truth” about how she feels.
“I think I’m always going to do the same thing. Just tell the truth about my feelings,” Ruffin said. “We all feel a little sad. Well, some of us feel pretty happy. But a lot of us feel a little sad. And so we’re I think it’s okay to say exactly what makes you feel like this.”
“And when you do that, and when people feel the same as you, they think it’s fun and interesting and it’s good to listen.
