Trump shows off unseen side... as a stand-up comedian
US president calls truce with media at dinner
DONALD Trump insists he has ‘never had a better time doing something’ than he has had being US president. He made the remarks after addressing the Washington press corps at the Gridiron Club’s annual dinner for the first time on Saturday.
The US president dished out pointed one-liners and endured some barbs from political rivals and the press.
The gala ‘was great fun’, he tweeted yesterday.
During his remarks on Saturday night, the president largely put aside his criticism of the media.
‘Nobody does self-deprecating humour better than I do,’ said Mr Trump, who skipped last year’s bash. He also said: ‘I was very excited to receive this invitation and ruin your evening in person. That’s why I accepted.’ He also joked at the expense of his under-fire son-in-law Jared Kushner, saying: ‘We were late tonight because Jared couldn’t get through security.’
The annual dinner of the Gridiron Club and Foundation, now in its 133rd year, traces its history to 1885, when President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Every president since has come to at least one Gridiron.
‘Rest assured, Mr President, this crowd is way bigger than Cleveland’s,’ Club President David Lightman, told the white-tie audience.
Members of the Washington press corps sharpened their wits for musical and rhetorical takedowns of the president, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama over the course of the night. Toward the end of his comments, Mr Trump could not resist some of his favourite themes, revisiting his election night win and chiding reporters. He closed by saying: ‘I just want to say this is one of the best times I’ve had with the media; this might be the most fun I’ve had since watching your faces on election night.’