2026 White House Correspondents Dinner: Is Trump Attending & How to Watch?

The 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner is shaping up to be a big event when it airs on Saturday, April 25. Hosted by mentalist Oz Pearlman, the event will mark the first time that Donald Trump is attending the event, which celebrates the White House Correspondents Association, since becoming president.

Trump previously attended in 2011, when Barack Obama was president, and famously, Trump was the subject of many jokes by then-host Seth Meyers, who contended Trump later sent lawyer Michael Cohen to demand an apology.

Of his job to perform in front of Trump and still honor the press, with which Trump has had a very contentious history, Pearlman told ABC News, “This will be a career-defining moment. I think it’s going to be the ultimate challenge, and it’s also the most authentic, genuine reaction, because when I do things, the easiest solution is always, ‘Well, they’re in on it, right?’ President Trump, everyone knows is not going to be in on anything.”

“I think it’s an incredible opportunity, just in terms of being in a room full of skeptical journalists. That is my bread and butter, to amaze people that like getting to the bottom of things,” Pearlman, who has previously shown off his mind-reading skills on series such as America’s Got Talent, added. “The fact that we’re there to celebrate the First Amendment, the freedom of the press, the fact that this country has a freedom of the press… No matter what you do or don’t think, I would take this country as the greatest country in the world over any other country.”

So for those hoping to tune in and catch the event live, here is all the information on how the networks are (and are not) covering the 2026 WHCD.

Networks that will be airing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

C-SPAN: C-SPAN will be airing live, commercial-free coverage of the event, starting at 7/6c on C-SPAN TV, C-SPAN Radio, C-SPAN.org, C-SPAN Now app, and C-SPAN on YouTube. It will also cover the red carpet on its dedicated webpage. Studio guests will include Caren Bohan and Mercedes Schlapp. (C-SPAN 2 will also air a marathon of former speeches by presidents at the WHCA dinner from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden starting at 10a/9c.)

CNN: CNN will begin its special coverage of the WHCD at 8/7c.

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MS NOW: MS NOW will begin its coverage of the event at 8/7c, with anchors Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell, and Elise Jordan.

Networks that will not be airing the WHCD live

ABC: ABC will not be running the WHCD live. Instead, the network is planning to air the NBA’s Western Conference first round, game four.

CBS: CBS will also not air the dinner event. Instead, it is re-airing the first episode of Marshals at 8/7c.

Fox: Instead of the WHCD, Fox will be airing an MLB game: either the Detroit Tigers at Cincinnati Reds or Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers.

NBC: NBC will be airing the NBA’s Eastern Conference first round, game four.

*Still to be announced are coverage plans on Fox News and News Nation.