President Donald Trump has denied making a phone call to ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl to inquire about his well-being following the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner last month. The event was disrupted by an armed individual who attempted to breach security.
Incident at WHCA Dinner
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by an armed gunman who reportedly rushed past a security checkpoint. The individual was quickly apprehended by security personnel. While no serious injuries were reported, President Trump was escorted off-stage amid the chaos, with thousands of attendees seeking cover.
Karl’s Claim and Trump’s Rebuttal
The morning after the incident, Jonathan Karl stated on ABC’s “This Week” that he received a call from President Trump early that day. Karl claimed Trump called his home landline to ask if he was okay and reiterated points from his press conference. However, President Trump strongly refuted this account on his Truth Social platform.
“Jonathan Karl, of ABC Fake News, made a statement that I called him early in the morning, the day after the assassination attempt, to ask whether or not HE was OK. No, this was a hit on ME, not HIM, and I didn’t make such a call, why would I do that?” Trump posted. He added that Karl had called him, but he did not take the call, and stated that Karl’s on-air claim was “very dishonest reporting.” Trump further criticized ABC News, calling it “ABC Fake News” and suggesting Karl was trying to make himself appear important.
Background and Criticism
The report follows an alleged assassination attempt on President Trump. Authorities have indicated that the suspect, Cole Allen, may have been motivated by political grievances. Trump has been a vocal critic of ABC News, frequently accusing the network of biased reporting against him.
This is not the first time Trump has expressed strong criticism towards ABC News. He has previously called for the network to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a controversial joke. Additionally, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with Trump in 2025 for $15 million after making incorrect assertions about him following a civil trial.
