This editor has at least three Ballroom Derangement Syndrome stories in the queue on Tuesday. President Donald Trump's haters were against building a new White House ballroom from the beginning, and now they're upset again, now that the president has suggested that the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and events like it, be held in the White House ballroom, a much more secure location than the Hilton Hotel, where would-be assassins can book a room and bring in their guns and knives a day early to scope the place out.
Obama administration Under Secretary of State and former TIME Magazine editor Richard Stengel argues that it could possibly be a First Amendment violation to hold future WHCA dinners in the White House ballroom.
By the way, the White House hosting the correspondents dinner in its own ballroom is arguably a violation of the First Amendment: it's government control over press access and expression and could have a chilling effect on criticising the president.
— Richard Stengel (@stengel) April 27, 2026
We're waiting for the follow-up post where he explains how that would be at all true. What about press conferences in the White House briefing room? Are those a violation of the First Amendment because they take place at the White House?
Utterly absurd.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) April 28, 2026
Were you born this stupid or did you have to work at it?
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) April 28, 2026
Hey where is this located? (Idiot) pic.twitter.com/iDQCeRjZs4
— mugsy dad (@MugsyDad) April 28, 2026
I don't even know where to start here you idiot. Let me shock you. The press briefing room is IN the White House! There is NO White House control over what they report to their outlets. Hosting the annual WHCA windbag festival isn't CONTROLLING the media!!
— Woolly Mammoth (@MarkSch69226507) April 28, 2026
Recommended
Amazing the First Amendment survived all those decades of reporters being hosted in the White House briefing room.
— Will Ricciardella (@WillRicci) April 28, 2026
As convoluted thinking goes, this is impressive.
— MarcusTullius (@MarcusT86062424) April 28, 2026
This might be the dumbest sentence ever written. If this were true how could you have press conferences at the White House?
— The Old Knickerbocker (@Dexpectations12) April 28, 2026
They hold press briefings almost daily at the White House, and reporters are free to ask and write about whatever they want. But holding their annual "Nerd Prom" in the ballroom would violate the First Amendment?
How’s that different than the briefing room or taking press questions in the Oval Office?
— Wes (@WesHolmes16) April 28, 2026
Tell me you haven’t the first clue about the actual language in our Constitution without saying the words.
— ImUrCactusEnema (@Huckleberry60) April 28, 2026
Was everyone who worked in the Obama administration this stupid, or are you special?
— John Seymour (@JLSeymour3) April 28, 2026
The ratio on this one is stratospheric.
— Bobb Dobbs (@Bobb_Dobbs) April 28, 2026
— BeeLady🐝 (@miamivandynyu) April 28, 2026
Imagine being this obtuse and getting on social media and showing it.
— Will (@Zeppelinfann) April 28, 2026
It could have a chilling effect on criticizing the president? The WHCA traditionally hosts a comedian every year to roast the president. They could do that in a secure ballroom as well. It's up to them.
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