The US President Donald Trump has said he will not be attending the annual White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner - for the third time.
He made the comments on Friday, as he left the White House to examine a portion of his controversial wall on the border with Mexico
Speaking to reporters, he was asked if he would be attending the dinner later this month.
He replied: "The dinner is so boring and so negative that we're going to hold a very positive rally instead."
Asked for details on the rally, he said: "We haven't determined. We have about three sites. Everybody wants it.
"It'll be a big one, but the Correspondents' Dinner is too negative. I like positive things. Okay?"
In an apparent reply to his absence, WHCA president Olivier Knox said: "We're looking forward to an enjoyable evening of celebrating the First Amendment and great journalists past, present and future."
#WHCA President Olivier Knox on President Trump’s decision not to attend the association’s annual dinner April 27. “We’re looking forward to an enjoyable evening of celebrating the First Amendment and great journalists past, present, and future." @OKnox
— WHCA (@whca) April 5, 2019
The event will be held on Saturday April 27th.
In April 2017, he became the first US president not to attend the event in decades, opting to speak at a rally in Pennsylvania instead.
Comedian Hasan Minhaj entertained those who did go, by referring to the "elephant that's not in the room".
The annual black-tie event, created in 1921, has awards, raises money for journalism scholarships and gives the press and the president an evening of mutual appreciation.
Mr Trump had hinted that he might attend this year after the organisers changed the format.
Rather than featuring a comedian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow will speak instead.
On this, Mr Knox said: "I'm delighted that Ron will share his lively, deeply researched perspectives on American politics and history at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
"As we celebrate the importance of a free and independent news media to the health of the republic, I look forward to hearing Ron place this unusual moment in the context of American history."
On his participation, Mr Chernow said: "The White House Correspondents' Association has asked me to make the case for the First Amendment and I am happy to oblige.
"Freedom of the press is always a timely subject and this seems like the perfect moment to go back to basics.
"My major worry these days is that we Americans will forget who we are as a people and historians should serve as our chief custodians in preserving that rich storehouse of memory.
"While I have never been mistaken for a stand-up comedian, I promise that my history lesson won't be dry."
In a further attack on the media on Friday, Mr Trump tweeted: "The press is doing everything within their power to fight the magnificence of the phrase, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
"They can't stand the fact that this Administration has done more than virtually any other Administration in its first 2yrs. They are truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!".
Additional reporting: IRN
