CNN commentator SE Cupp went off on the organizers of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) for caving in to President Donald Trump — “A guy who wants us dead… figuratively” — just moments before shots were fired at the event.

Trump attended his first WHCD in office on Saturday night, as did frequent press attackers like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and FCC Chair Brendan Carr.

In response, some White House Correspondents’ Association members settled on a silent protest involving First Amendment-themed accessories like pocket squares and lapel pins. Others were rumored to plan walkouts in protest ahead of Trump’s speech.

On Saturday night’s special CNN coverage of the WHCD, anchor John Berman asked Cupp why she believes Trump decided to attend this time.

Cupp went on a tear against the White House Correspondents’ Association for organizing a dinner that was tailor-made to allow Trump a free hand in attacking the press — then leave:

JOHN BERMAM: Why is this night different than all others, which is a you know a Passover question.

But for President Trump why, SE, is this the correspondents dinner he has decided to attend as president, the first. What’s changed?

CNN’S S.E. CUPP: Um, well, from what I can tell, they made it real easy for him to attend. And I, you know, glad to see everyone’s in great spirits. And this is a party.

I’m real bummed, real bummed about tonight because here’s what’s happening tonight.

Journalism is throwing a party. Journalism is celebrating journalism at this party. Journalism for some reason invited Brendan Carr, FCC chair who is threatening to revoke the licenses of broadcast networks.

Pete Hegseth, who removed journalists from the Pentagon, and Donald Trump, who attacks us on the regular.

Now, they’re giving Donald Trump a speaking position to roast us to our faces for an hour.

And he doesn’t have to stay for the part where we celebrate journalism and give out awards to journalists and talk about the importance of free speech.

And here’s the kicker, we broadcast it on national TV!

He could not have planned this scenario better.

And guess what? He didn’t! We did. Journalism planned this scenario for Donald Trump.

So if I’m Donald Trump, of course I come under these conditions. And you just heard Brian Stelter say that the Correspondents Association was trying to sort of mend some fences with a guy who wants us dead— figuratively. Figuratively, he wants journalism dead.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I don’t think this is a great night for journalism. It’s a night that’s meant to be celebrating it, but I think it’s a real bummer.

Watch above via CNN.

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