NY Times Correspondent Wants To ‘Rethink’ WHCA Dinner After President Trump Roasts Media

Over the course of generations, the mainstream media grew accustomed to its ability to promote a left-leaning viewpoint that generally targeted all but the most milquetoast of Republicans.

In the era of President Donald Trump, however, many of the same reporters are proving they can dish it but they can’t take it.

One recent example came from New York Times White House Correspondent Peter Baker: 

Have been a member of the @whca almost continuously since the 1990s. Our mission is to defend the First Amendment rights of White House correspondents to report on the president without fear or favor. Unfortunately last night did not advance that cause. Time to rethink the…

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) July 25, 2026

As the New York Post reported: 

Baker, after igniting controversy with his post, claimed that his beef with the vaunted annual dinner, which is done to raise money for scholarships, predated Trump.

“To be clear, this is not a new position. The NY Times decided nearly 20 years ago, long before Trump, that we would stop attending, which was our policy under Obama and Biden. (The exception was for reporters if they won a prize to be awarded.),” Baker explained on Saturday.

“Last night validated that decision.”

Baker had been given the WHCA’s award for “Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure” during the dinner two years ago for his coverage of former President Joe Biden’s trek to Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Here’s some of the response his initial post attracted:

Your side got to speak…he got to speak…I don’t see the problem…

— Chaucer_Knows (@Mndance365) July 26, 2026

You guys haven’t been neutral since Trump came down the escalator.
Try to quit lying for one day I don’t think you can

— Houserat (@Wayne3822318560) July 26, 2026

Maybe don’t give him over 90% bad coverage when half of America loves him?

Until you represent the perspective of all of the people of America better, you deserve every bit of his roasting and ire.

— RuralVAGuy, PhD 🇺🇸 (@rural_va_guy) July 26, 2026

'Without fear or favor'
Nobody believes this.

Your mistakes are always in the same direction and everyone knows this.

For 4 years you pushed Russia Collusion.
For 4 years you denied that Biden was mentally compromised.

Enjoy the mocking that your profession has earned.

— Chevy96d (@chevy96d) July 26, 2026

Yahoo News added these details:

Baker’s wife, The New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser, seemed disgusted with the event as well.

She posted on Friday, “#FirstAmendment. If journalists won’t stand up for it, hard to ask everyone else to.”

Baker’s comments stand out, considering just two years ago he received the WHCD award for “Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure.”

He was honored for his coverage of then-President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel just days after the 10/7 Hamas terrorist attack; Baker smiled and shook Biden’s hand after receiving the award, plus a $2,500 prize to go along with it.

Here are some highlights from Trump’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner performance: