The Hill, citing major reforms, will participate in this year’s White House correspondents’ dinner

The Hill will take part in the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner later this month, the publication’s chairman, James Finkelstein, said on Monday.  

The decision comes after The Hill announced in May that it was pulling out of future White House correspondents’ dinners without “major reforms” to the event following controversial comments made by the featured speaker of last year’s dinner, comedian Michelle Wolf.

{mosads}Several months later, a change was announced surrounding who the featured speaker would be for the 2019 dinner, set to take place on April 27 at the Washington Hilton. Ron Chernow, best known as the biographer behind books on Alexander Hamilton, George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant, would be the evening’s featured speaker.  

“We find a decision by the White House Correspondents’ Association to return the focus of the annual dinner back to journalism is a great step,” Finkelstein said in a statement on Monday. 

“After speaking with association president Olivier Knox on several occasions, the decision to choose such a respected and renowned biographer in Ron Chernow will restore the prestige of the dinner and all it stands for: Celebrating freedom of the press, exceptional journalism while supporting young aspiring journalists,” he added. “We are happy to again take part in the festivities this year.”

On Nov. 19, White House Correspondents’ Association President Olivier Knox, who serves as SiriusXM’s chief Washington correspondent, said he looks forward to hearing Chernow “place this unusual moment in the context of American history.”

“I’m delighted that Ron will share his lively, deeply researched perspectives on American politics and history at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” said Knox. “As we celebrate the importance of a free and independent news media to the health of the republic, I look forward to hearing Ron place this unusual moment in the context of American history.”  

Knox in a separate statement said he was “very glad” that The Hill would be joining this year.

“We look forward to celebrating great journalists past, present and future and to highlighting the importance of a free and independent news media to a healthy republic,” Knox said.

The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner began in 1921. 

President Trump has hinted at attending the event this year after opting to speak at rallies the previous two years since taking office.