2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner

Satirical performances by Barack Obama and Seth Meyers June 2026 June 2026 400 Barack Obama annoucing Osama mission crop.jpg Seth Myers Defense.gov photo essay 110509-N-TT977-093 (cropped1).jpg Barack Obama in 2011 Seth Meyers in 2011 On April 30, 2011, American comedian Seth Meyers appeared as the featured entertainer at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner, which was held at the Hilton Washington hotel in Washington, D.C. Taking place during the presidency of Barack Obama, both Obama and Meyers mocked businessman and television personality Donald Trump, who attended the dinner. Trump would later successfully run for President in 2016 and 2024, although he has asserted that the dinner did not influence his decision to run for office. Background American comedian Seth Meyers was the featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, held at the Hilton Washington hotel in Washington, D.C., on Saturday April 30, 2011. Since 1983, the event has featured well-known stand-up comics; previous performers include Jon Stewart and Craig Ferguson.Stracqualursi Veronica Hansler Jennifer 2017-04-29 Everything you need to know about the White House Correspondents' Dinner https://abcnews.com/Politics/white-house-correspondents-dinner/story?id=38396958 2026-07-31 ABC News en-US June 1, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260601134536/https://abcnews.com/Politics/white-house-correspondents-dinner/story?id=38396958 live Makarechi Kia 2014-04-30 11 Memorable Moments in the History of the White House Correspondents' Dinner https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/moments-in-the-history-of-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20260422221231/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/moments-in-the-history-of-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner 2026-04-22 2026-07-31 Vanity Fair en-US Stephen Colbert's performance in 2006 was noted for its controversial jibes directed at president George W. Bush and the media. Meyers was a well-known political satirist as the anchor of the Saturday Night Live news segment Weekend Update.Graham 2018 10 The Celebrity Apprentice host Donald Trump was a prominent promoter of the Barack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories, known as the "birther movement".Zurcher Anthony 2016-09-16 The birth of the Obama 'birther' conspiracy https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-37391652 2026-07-31 BBC News en-GB July 31, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260731152852/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-37391652 live The Great Alignment: Race, Party Transformation, and the Rise of Donald Trump. Abramovitz Alan Yale University Press 2018 123Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America Princeton University Press 2018 5 Having previously attended the 1993 dinner at the invitation of Vanity Fair Graydon Carter, Trump was invited to the 2011 dinner as a guest of the Washington Post.Izadi Elahe Voght Kara Nover Scott 2026-04-25 The infamous White House correspondents' dinner when Trump was the joke https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/04/25/trump-obama-meyers-white-house-dinner/ 2026-07-25 The Washington Post en-US 0190-8286 June 29, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260629123957/https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/04/25/trump-obama-meyers-white-house-dinner/ live A few days prior to the event, the state of Hawaii had released Obama's long-form birth certificate to quell the rumors.Gopnik Adam Adam Gopnik 2015-09-12 Trump and Obama: A Night to Remember http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/trump-and-obama-a-night-to-remember/ subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20170426104419/http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/trump-and-obama-a-night-to-remember/ 2017-04-26 2026-07-25 The New Yorker en-US According to former White House speechwriter Jon Favreau, Obama initially intended to ignore Trump at the dinner, but after the media's obsession over Trump, grew "grumpy — and eager for payback."Coppins McKay McKay Coppins 2016-07-18 Inside The Fraternity Of Haters And Losers Who Drove Donald Trump To The GOP Nomination https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/mckaycoppins/how-the-haters-made-trump 2026-07-25 BuzzFeed News en July 1, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260701160010/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/mckaycoppins/how-the-haters-made-trump live Performances at the dinner thumb|start=08:15|Obama's remarks on Trump Preceding Meyers, Obama sarcastically mocked Trump, who had expressed interest in running for president, commenting in a "mock-serious" tone "we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience", which was met with laughter from the audience.Graham 2018 11 Obama also made light of the conspiracy theories: ...and I know just the guy to do it — Donald Trump is here tonight! Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter — like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac? Meyers also mocked Trump, saying: Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke.Parker Ryan 2016-07-19 The Time Donald Trump Told Seth Meyers He Crossed the Line https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/time-donald-trump-told-seth-912453/ 2026-07-25 The Hollywood Reporter en-US July 25, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260725172411/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/time-donald-trump-told-seth-912453/ live Both Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates were seen laughing at Meyers' jokes about the government's apparent inability to track down Osama bin Laden, even though they were a day away from the operation to assassinate him.Carbone Nick https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/02/obamas-poker-face-president-reacts-to-bin-laden-joke-at-correspondents-dinner/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110504161535/https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/02/obamas-poker-face-president-reacts-to-bin-laden-joke-at-correspondents-dinner/ 2011-05-04 Watch: Obama Holds His Poker Face as He Reacts to bin Laden Joke at Correspondents' Dinner Time 2011-05-02Shear Michael D. Michael D. Shear 2011-05-02 Obama and Gates Gave No Hint of Raid at Correspondents' Dinner https://archive.nytimes.com/thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/obama-and-gates-gave-no-hint-of-raid-at-correspondents-dinner/ 2026-08-02 The Caucus en-US January 25, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250125151316/https://archive.nytimes.com/thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/obama-and-gates-gave-no-hint-of-raid-at-correspondents-dinner/ live As the dinner ended, Trump and his wife Melania reportedly "beelined for the exit". Reception Donald Trump thumb|right|Donald Trump in 2011 [Trump's] head set in place, like a man in a pillory, he barely moved or altered his expression as wave after wave of laughter struck him. [...] No head bobbing or hand-clapping or chin-shaking or sheepish grinning—he sat perfectly still, chin tight, in locked, unmovable rage. Adam Gopnik The New Yorker During the dinner, Trump sat "motionless and expressionless, staring straight ahead".Graham 2018 11 The following morning, in an interview with Michael Barbaro he commented, "Seth Meyers has no talent... He fell totally flat. In fact, I thought Seth’s delivery was so bad that he hurt himself."Barbaro Michael Michael Barbaro 2011-05-02 After Roasting, Trump Reacts In Character https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/after-roasting-trump-reacts-in-character.html subscription 2026-06-05 The New York Times en-US May 25, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160525151531/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/after-roasting-trump-reacts-in-character.html live Trump later said "I loved that evening. I had the greatest time" and that "There are many reasons I’m running, but that’s not one of them."Roberts Roxanne 2016-04-28 I sat next to Donald Trump at the infamous 2011 White House correspondents' dinner https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/i-sat-next-to-donald-trump-at-the-infamous-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner/2016/04/27/5cf46b74-0bea-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html registration live https://web.archive.org/web/20160429082616/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/i-sat-next-to-donald-trump-at-the-infamous-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner/2016/04/27/5cf46b74-0bea-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html 2016-04-29 2026-07-25 The Washington Post en Reflecting on the dinner in 2020, Trump was complimentary of Obama, saying "[Obama] treated me very nicely. You know, it was fun, but he treated me with respect." Trump continued "Seth Meyers, he was nasty. Just one joke. The guy’s got no talent whatsoever. Zero."Rosen Christopher Jimmy Kimmel Corrects Trump's Bizarre Late-Night Ratings Rant Vanity Fair May 6, 2020 https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/05/jimmy-kimmel-donald-trump-ratings-tweet subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20200510124939/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/05/jimmy-kimmel-donald-trump-ratings-tweet May 10, 2020 August 26, 2026 Political pundits later speculated that the dinner motivated Trump to run in the 2016 presidential election, but Trump denied the dinner had any influence on his campaign.Gajanan Mahita 2017-04-27 A History of Trump Being Trolled at the White House Correspondents' Dinner https://time.com/4756751/donald-trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20170427204923/https://time.com/4756751/donald-trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner 2017-04-27 2026-08-27 Time en Wang Amy B. 2017-02-28 Trump was mocked at the 2011 White House correspondents' dinner. He insists it's not why he ran. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/02/26/did-the-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner-spur-trump-to-run-for-president/ registration live https://web.archive.org/web/20210814104019/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/02/26/did-the-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner-spur-trump-to-run-for-president/?utm_term=.62c0ffa9e927 2021-08-14 2026-08-27 The Washington Post en-US 0190-8286 During Trump's two terms as president, he did not attend another dinner until the 2026 event, where a shooting took place.Gedeon Joseph 2026-07-25 Trump's rambling gala address included insults, potshots and quip about a third presidential term https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump-washington 2026-07-25 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 2026-07-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20260725000336/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump-washington live Seth Meyers In an appearance on The Van Jones Show in June 2018, Meyers reflected on the event after Jones accused Meyers of "poking the bear". Meyers said "I think I did the right thing back then [...] Obama also told jokes about him that night and, looking back, I do think it was his fault." Speaking to Julia Ioffe in 2018, Meyers commented "I look back on that night, despite everything that’s happened, very fondly" and that "I certainly think [Trump] is driven by petty grievances."Ioffe Julia Julia Ioffe June 2018 Seth Meyers Has 'Very Fond' Memories of Roasting Trump https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/seth-meyers-trump-oprah/559118/ subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20180509152458/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/seth-meyers-trump-oprah/559118/ 2018-05-09 2026-07-25 The Atlantic en-US References Sources Graham D. Landon December 2018 Fake News: Political Satire in the Age of President Trump https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1461&context=honors 2011 9–12 Utah State University 2026-06-05 10.26076/19fd-0aeb free 2024-04-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20240418165210/https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1461&context=honors live External links 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner/250762 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner C-SPAN 2026-06-04 2026-07-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20260725071913/https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner/250762 live https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2011-04-30/segment/09 Transcript of CNN coverage CNN 2026-06-04 2024-09-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20240929210325/https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2011-04-30/segment/09 live https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/05/01/president-s-speech-white-house-correspondents-dinner Obama transcript The White House May 2011 2026-08-25 2017-01-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20170123065947/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/05/01/president-s-speech-white-house-correspondents-dinner live https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/comedy/seth-meyers-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner-transcript/ Meyers transcript scrapsfromtheloft.com April 9, 2017 2026-06-04 2021-09-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20210928140211/https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/comedy/seth-meyers-2011-white-house-correspondents-dinner-transcript live Category:2011 in American politics Category:2011 in American television Category:2011 in Washington, D.C. Category:2011 controversies in the United States Category:April 2011 in the United States Category:Roast (comedy) Category:White House Correspondents' Association Category:Presidency of Barack Obama