Trump touts rally as alternate programming to correspondents’ dinner: ‘Will be live on TV’

by John Bowden - 04/28/18 10:27 AM ET

President Trump urged Twitter followers to watch live coverage of his planned Michigan rally Saturday night, seemingly suggesting the event as alternative programming to the evening’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

In a tweet, the president noted that his rally in Michigan, which is slated to be about job creation and business growth, would be “live on T.V.”

“Look forward to being in the Great State of Michigan tonight. Major business expansion and jobs pouring into your State. Auto companies expanding at record pace,” Trump said.

“Big crowd tonight, will be live on T.V.,” he adds.

Look forward to being in the Great State of Michigan tonight. Major business expansion and jobs pouring into your State. Auto companies expanding at record pace. Big crowd tonight, will be live on T.V.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2018

{mosads}2018 marks the second year in a row the president has hosted a competing event during the annual Washington gala, which is also typically broadcast live and honors the press and news reporters who cover the White House.

In 2017, Trump held a competing rally in Pennsylvania and mocked the press for being stuck at a “boring” dinner in Washington, D.C.

“A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation’s capital right now,” Trump told the crowd in Harrisburg, Pa., last year.

“They are gathered together for the White House correspondents’ dinner — without the president,” he added. “They would love to be with us right here tonight. They’re trapped at the dinner, which will be very, very boring.”

Last year’s rally began about an hour before the dinner, and this year’s rally is slated to begin at around 7 p.m., two and a half hours before the WHCD is scheduled.

It’s unclear whether Trump is expected to begin speaking exactly at 7 p.m., or how long his remarks will be. Local media coverage of the event notes the rally is expected to begin “around the same time” as the dinner.

Last year, because of the time separation, most cable news networks did not have to split time or choose between broadcasting the two events. However, the rally was presented as competition to the dinner, The Washington Post reported.

Tags Donald Trump Donald Trump Trump rally White House Correspondents' Association dinner