Multiple outlets cite BBC former chief Washington correspondent Justin Webb in describing expectations ahead of the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner. The reporting says that in April there was a sense that President Donald Trump wanted to use the event as an opportunity to be conciliatory with journalists. According to Webb’s account, the aim would have been to foster a more cooperative relationship with members of the press at a high-profile moment in Washington. However, the outlets frame the outcome as a missed opportunity, implying that Trump does not seize the chance to alter the tone of his presidency toward journalists. The coverage links the discussion to the broader context of how Trump’s administration engages with the media, with the WHCA dinner positioned as a symbolic forum where a reset could occur. Across the sources provided, the central points are the anticipation of conciliation before the dinner and the characterization that such a “love-in” with journalists does not materialize as expected, based on Webb’s perspective.