Trumps to hold black tie ball on night of the Oscars
DONALD Trump and his family are to host a black tie ball at the White House during the Oscars on Sunday – but not to celebrate the ceremony.
The president and First Lady Melania will be holding the Governors’ Ball, which is part of the National Governors Association’s winter meeting in Washington.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer outlined details of the event when asked if the President planned to watch the Oscars – and respond to any criticism of his administration coming from the stars on stage.
Mr Spicer said: “The First Lady’s put a lot of time into this, welcoming our nation’s governors to the capital.
“I have a feeling that that’s where the President and the First Lady are going to be focused on, on Sunday night.”
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who will host the Oscars, has said the President will be a target for jibes.
Meryl Streep’s explosive anti-Trump speech at the Golden Globes has been regarded as an opening of the floodgates for political rhetoric from the winners’ podium.
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose film The Salesman is nominated for best foreign language film, has already announced he will not attend the ceremony in response to Trump’s immigration stance, as has one of the stars of his film, actress Taraneh Alidoosti.