Donald Trump to Headline Al Smith Charity Dinner After 2016 Jeers \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Former President Donald Trump is set to headline the Al Smith charity dinner, a prominent white-tie event in New York, where he was previously jeered for a pointed 2016 speech. Vice President Kamala Harris, breaking tradition, will not attend in person as she focuses on campaigning but will appear in a pre-recorded video. The dinner raises millions for Catholic charities and is a rare occasion where political rivals share light-hearted moments ahead of Election Day.
Trump Headlines Al Smith Charity Dinner Quick Looks
- Former President Trump will speak at the Al Smith charity dinner, where he was jeered in 2016.
- Vice President Kamala Harris is skipping the event to campaign but will appear via video.
- The event traditionally allows candidates to trade good-natured jokes as part of the final election stretch.
Deep Look
On Thursday, former President Donald Trump will swap his typical rally stage for the prestigious Al Smith charity dinner in New York. This event, traditionally a light-hearted affair raising millions for Catholic charities, will see Trump deliver remarks as the evening’s headline speaker. Trump’s participation comes eight years after his controversial 2016 appearance, where he was met with jeers following a particularly pointed and politically charged speech targeting his then-opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Harris Breaks Tradition, Will Not Attend
Breaking with a longstanding presidential candidate tradition, Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend the dinner in person. Instead, she will campaign in key battleground states. Her absence, however, will be filled with a pre-recorded video message, according to event organizers. Harris’ team has emphasized the importance of her time on the campaign trail, focusing on swing states that are pivotal in determining the election outcome. Her team also signaled that if she were to win the presidency, she would attend the event as president in the future.
The announcement of Harris’s absence was first reported by The Daily Caller. Meanwhile, Trump criticized Harris for opting out of the event, accusing her on social media of being anti-Catholic, and suggesting that Catholic voters reconsider their support for her.
Trump’s 2016 Controversial Speech
Trump’s 2016 appearance at the dinner left a lasting impression, as his speech moved quickly from humor to pointed political attacks. The dinner, held just after his final debate with Hillary Clinton, had started on a lighter note. Trump initially joked about his former friendship with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and delivered a self-deprecating remark about his modesty. He humorously compared his wife, Melania Trump, to former First Lady Michelle Obama, referencing the media’s criticism over Melania’s 2016 convention speech, which was accused of plagiarism.
However, the tone of Trump’s speech soon shifted as he attacked Clinton, accusing her of corruption and alleging that she “pretended not to hate Catholics.” The sharp remarks led to boos from the audience, a rare occurrence at the typically jovial dinner. Clinton responded with her own jabs, including a line about how Trump would rate the Statue of Liberty as a “4” or “5” based on her looks, adding a humorous personal dig.
An Event of Tradition and Prestige
The Al Smith dinner, formally known as the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, has long been a hallmark of presidential campaign tradition. Held annually in New York, the white-tie event is named after former New York Governor Al Smith, who was the first Catholic to receive a major party nomination for president in 1928. While Smith’s campaign was unsuccessful, his legacy continues through the charity dinner, which raises funds for Catholic charities.
Since 1960, when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy both appeared at the event, presidential candidates from both parties have attended the dinner in election years. The event offers a rare chance for candidates to set aside the contentious atmosphere of the campaign trail and share jokes, demonstrating their ability to engage in light-hearted banter while appearing amicable. It is often the final event where the candidates appear on the same stage before Election Day.
Melania Trump Returns, Notable Guests on Stage
Joining Trump at the dinner will be his wife, Melania Trump, who has been largely absent from his campaign appearances this election cycle. According to seating charts shared by event organizers, Melania will be at Trump’s side for the evening, marking one of her few public appearances on the campaign trail.
New York City’s controversial mayor, Eric Adams, will also be in attendance. Adams has recently faced legal troubles, having been charged with accepting illegal campaign contributions and indulging in lavish trips provided by Turkish officials and businesspeople. His presence at the event is expected to draw attention. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the successful civil fraud case against Trump, will also attend the dinner, adding another layer of intrigue.
Trump’s Humor, Past and Present
Trump’s supporters often cite his sense of humor as one of his key attributes, which contributes to his populist appeal. Despite his infamous reaction to being the target of jokes at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where former President Barack Obama roasted him, Trump has been known to poke fun at himself in recent years. At campaign rallies, he has regularly quipped about his appearance, particularly his hair, showcasing a lighter side to his public persona. “What the hell can you do? There’s nothing I can do about it. We’re stuck with it,” he joked at a recent rally in Pennsylvania after catching his reflection on a screen.
Tradition and Tensions
The Al Smith dinner is not entirely new territory for either Trump or Biden. Both candidates spoke at a virtual version of the event in 2020, which was shifted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than offering comedic remarks, both Trump and Biden used the opportunity to appeal to Catholic voters. Biden, a Catholic himself, discussed how his faith helped him navigate personal tragedies, while Trump emphasized his appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, a nod to his administration’s achievements in reshaping the judiciary.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who plays a key role in the dinner, also offered a pointed message during the 2020 event, reminding both candidates of the importance of graciousness in defeat, saying that Al Smith was a “happy warrior” and “never a sore loser.”
As the dinner returns to its in-person format this year, it will once again serve as a space where politics and charity intersect. However, with Trump’s history at the event and Harris’s absence, the dynamics are expected to be anything but typical.
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