US President Donald Trump returned to the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Friday, delivering an hour-long speech filled with jokes, criticism of political opponents and media figures, and references to his presidency.
The event, originally scheduled for April, was postponed after a shooting near the venue raised security concerns.
Opening his remarks, Trump said he had removed the harshest parts of the speech he had originally planned for the April dinner.
"As I said three months ago, the show must go on," he told the audience, recalling the attempted attack that forced the postponement before shifting to lighter remarks.
Trump's appearance marked a notable moment in his relationship with the media. Since returning to office for a second term, he has frequently criticised news organisations, filed lawsuits against media outlets and taken actions affecting press access. Several journalists attending the dinner had previously been publicly criticised or barred from White House events.
During the speech, Trump mixed praise for some journalists with criticism of others. He joked about several public figures, including entertainers, politicians and television hosts, and also poked fun at his own speechwriters.
He also referred to journalism awards presented earlier in the evening, many of which recognised reporting critical of his administration, jokingly asking whether he had any influence over the winners.
Trump briefly mentioned the conflict involving Iran and highlighted construction of a new ballroom at the White House. He also joked about seeking a third presidential term, despite the US Constitution limiting presidents to two terms.
"The second time is always better," he said before adding, "I'm only kidding."
At the end of his speech, Trump put on a red "Trump 2028" cap and jokingly suggested he was running again.
Earlier in the evening, outgoing WHCA President Weijia Jiang of CBS News welcomed attendees and thanked Trump for attending. She said rescheduling the dinner reflected the determination of the White House press corps not to be intimidated by violence.
"Tonight our message is this: We are back," Jiang said.
The ceremony also honoured Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was injured while responding to the April shooting, and staff at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the original dinner had been planned.
Security at the rescheduled event was significantly tighter than usual, with multiple identification checks, armed officers and security dogs. Attendance was also smaller, with about 700 guests.
One journalism award recipient, New York Times reporter Tyler Pager, had recently faced a subpoena from the Justice Department over reporting related to a luxury aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar. The subpoena was withdrawn a day before the dinner.
The event took place amid continued tensions between the White House and the news media. Critics have long argued that the annual correspondents' dinner creates an appearance of overly close relationships between journalists and the public officials they cover.
Despite his frequent criticism of the press, Trump ended his speech on a conciliatory note, telling journalists he respected their profession before joking that they would struggle without him as a newsmaker.
"I have a lot of respect for your profession," Trump said. "When I'm not around, you're all gonna be broke."