President Donald Trump has agreed to appear at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner later this summer, embracing the decision to move forward with the event after an assassination attempt disrupted the original gathering earlier this year.

Announcing his participation, Trump praised organizers for refusing to allow violence to dictate public life or alter longstanding traditions. He described the decision to proceed with the annual dinner as a demonstration of resilience in the wake of the attack.

“This announcement is a very good thing in that we cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said he accepted the invitation after being approached by White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang and hinted that his remarks at the event could once again attract attention.

“I was asked to be there, and speak, by Weijia Jiang, President of The White House Correspondents’ Association, and have accepted,” he continued. “I don’t know whether or not I will give the same rather nasty statements, at least as it concerns certain people, but we will soon find out.”

Trump also highlighted the venue selected for the rescheduled event, noting its connection to his own business history.

“In any event,” the president added, “it will be a ‘HOT’ ticket! Interestingly, the location will be The Waldorf Astoria, on Pennsylvania Avenue, a Building and Ballroom that I built.”

The dinner is now set for July 24 and will take place in the Presidential Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. The property originally operated as a Trump-branded hotel before changing ownership in 2022. Event organizers have indicated that those who purchased tickets for the original dinner will not be required to pay again.

Because the ballroom accommodates approximately 1,300 guests, attendance will be significantly smaller than the original event planned for the Washington Hilton, where organizers expected roughly 2,500 attendees.

The annual dinner had originally been scheduled for April 25. Those plans were derailed after authorities say Cole Tomas Allen stormed a security checkpoint carrying a rifle and opened fire, striking a Secret Service agent who was protected by a bulletproof vest.

Investigators allege that Allen later confessed in a manifesto that his goal was to assassinate Trump and kill as many Cabinet officials as possible. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

In a message sent to members of the White House Correspondents’ Association, Jiang said the organization was determined not to allow the attack to define the event or overshadow its purpose.

“The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has served as a celebration of a free press and the vital role of journalism in our democracy for over a century,” Jiang wrote, according to the New York Post.

She said the shooting reinforced the organization’s commitment to defending constitutional freedoms and protecting the role of a free press.

“When gunfire interrupted this year’s event, it further clarified the WHCA’s mission to advocate for the freedoms that are protected in the First Amendment,” she said. “We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for.”

Jiang noted that this year’s dinner will be scaled down compared to previous years and will feature additional security precautions.

The rescheduled event will be “a more intimate gathering” and will feature “significantly enhanced safety measures and new access procedures.”

In addition to the traditional dinner and presidential remarks, the evening is expected to include scholarship presentations and awards recognizing excellence in journalism.