Bragging about himself may be second nature to President Donald Trump’s persona, but on Saturday night he seemed to be out to prove that he too, like his predecessors, can have a shot at self-deprecating humour even while trading good-natured jabs with the “fake media” and some of his own close aides, past and present.
At Washington’s famous Gridiron Club Dinner, the annual white-tie event that has been attended by every president since 1885, Trump called the assembled journalists his “opposition party”, telling one and all, “So I was very excited to receive this invitation to come here and ruin your evening in person.”
“I just want to say this, this is one of the best times I’ve had with the media — this might be the most fun I’ve had since watching your faces on Election Night,” when much of the liberal mainstream media was stunned and horrified by Trump’s victory and Hillary Clinton’s defeat.
Trump had a dig at his deputy, Vice-President Mike Pence. With some of the Democrats continuously seeking his impeachment, Trump joked that Pence has lately been showing a particularly keen interest on this matter.
“He wakes up every morning and asks, has he been impeached yet. I don’t like that,” Trump said of the man who will succeed him in case he was impeached.
Turning to “fake news” CNN, one of his pet targets, Trump joked that the media giant just lost its “very best reporter” in Steve Bannon — his former campaign chief and top White House aide accused of leaking inside information till he was fired months ago.
“That guy leaked more than the Titanic,” he remarked, in obvious reference to reports that Bannon was the key source for author Michael Wolff’s controversial book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”
As for the “failing New York Times”, Trump commented, “You, The New York Times, are an icon. I’m a New York icon, you’re a New York icon. And the only difference is, I still own my buildings.”
Commenting on Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr, who stepped down as publisher in December after a stint of 25 years, Trump quipped, “I inherited millions. Arthur inherited billions of dollars, and he turned it into millions.”
Trump showered praise on the only major news channel that he adores — the conservative Fox News, calling it the “fourth branch of Government”.
Wrapping up his speech, he joked he had to be up early in the morning to watch “Fox and Friends”.
On the exit of far too many of his aides in recent months, Trump joked: “I like turnover. I like chaos. It is really good. Now, the question everybody keeps asking: Who’s going to be the next to leave, (senior aide) Steve Miller or (First lady) MelaniaIJ … That is terrible, honey — but you love me, rightIJ”
Trump did not spare his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner either. Kushner, who has been facing a series of adverse media reports lately, recently lost his top-level security clearance. Trump poked fun at his son-in-law who was seated to his left, commenting: “You know, we were late tonight because Jared could not get through security.”
Trump, who has been at daggers drawn with his own Attorney General Jeff Sessions ever since the latter recused himself from the Russia probe issue, joked that he offered Sessions a ride to the dinner venue, but “he recused himself”. Trump regards Sessions’ recusal on the Russia issue the root cause of most the problems, starting with the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.