Statement on event hosted by the Center for the National Interest

The National Press Club has a standing invitation to all major presidential candidates to speak at our hallowed venue and most White House contenders have taken questions from our podium this election cycle. The 109-year-old Press Club has hosted almost every American president and many of those vying for the job over our history, and we have always looked forward to hearing their plans and pinning them down on policy issues that would affect America and the world.

While Donald Trump has spoken at Club luncheons twice in recent years, his appearance on Wednesday will be with the Center for the National Interest, which has contracted for a room in our facility for the event. I should stress, this is a foreign policy forum - and not one sponsored or hosted by the National Press Club. As the place “Where News Happens,” we often have groups who look to host their own events to spread their message and we do not control those events or what questions are asked or who is invited to attend.

As always, the Press Club – considered the world's leading professional organization for journalists – stands for freedom of the press and transparency and urges the hundreds of groups that have events here each year, including the one hosting Mr. Trump, to make space for all reporters seeking to cover the remarks.

Our invitation to Mr. Trump to speak at a Club-sponsored luncheon still stands and we look forward to having him join us when he returns to the Club.