Trump says Obama’s 2011 WHCD joke about White House ‘Trump’ sign ‘wasn’t really wrong’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump revisited one of the most talked-about moments from White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD) on Thursday, July 24, recalling former President Barack Obama's jokes about him at the 2011 event while rejecting the long-held belief that the evening influenced his decision to run for president.

Speaking at the rescheduled WHCD, Trump reflected on his appearances at the annual dinner and said he enjoyed the event despite being the subject of Obama's jokes. He described the former president's remarks as sharp but respectful while revisiting the moment years later.

Trump recalls Barack Obama’s 2011 WHCD roast

Recalling the 2011 dinner, Trump said Obama had singled him out during the event but described the exchange as respectful.

"There's one time in particular when Barack Hussein Obama hosted it... And he hit me hard, but actually he hit me with respect," Trump said.

Trump also dismissed the widely repeated suggestion that Obama's jokes convinced him to seek the presidency.

"I have watched this clip thousands of times. They keep playing it because they think that was the evening I decided to run for president. It was not. In fact, I loved the evening," Trump said.

Trump said he turned to then-wife Melania Trump during the event and remarked on the attention he received from the audience.

"I looked at my wife, I said, can you believe it? All these people, that's all they're doing is talking about me. I love this dinner. It's true," Trump said.

Trump added that Obama had shown an image of the White House with a "Trump" sign on top during the dinner and suggested the joke had taken on a different meaning after his presidency.

"He actually showed a picture of the White House with a big Trump on top. Like I put aside, and you know, I'm sort of doing that when you think about it, right? I mean, he wasn't really wrong!" Trump said.  

He added that Obama "was respectful" while again referencing the former president's joke about a Trump sign appearing on the White House.

"He actually showed a picture of the White House with a big Trump on top... I'm sorta doing that when you think about it, right?... He wasn't really wrong," Trump said.

Trump targets Joe Biden during WHCD remarks

After reflecting on the 2011 Correspondents' Dinner, Trump shifted his focus to former President Joe Biden, using several jokes about his predecessor while addressing the audience.

Referring to the recent UFC event held on the White House South Lawn, Trump joked about Biden's public appearances.

"Before I came along, if you wanted to see someone lose consciousness on the South Lawn of the White House, all you had to do is ask Joe Biden a question," Trump said, adding that he was joking.

Trump also referenced former First Lady Jill Biden while discussing the 2024 election, claiming she believed her husband would have defeated him despite trailing in public polling.

"Jill Biden insists that Joe would have beaten me in 2024, even though he was way down," Trump said. "She felt he was gonna win because he was seriously ahead on deceased voters. He was leading in the deceased crowd, and there were a lot of them."

During his WHCD remarks, Trump used humor to revisit his past interactions with Obama while also taking aim at Biden and reflecting on moments from his political career.