Oz Pearlman to host Trump's first White House Correspondents' dinner

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYThu, April 23, 2026 at 9:52 PM UTC

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In a shift for the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, this year's host is set on blowing minds instead of going for laughs.

Mentalist Oz Pearlman is hosting the historic Washington dinner on Saturday, April 25, breaking with the tradition of comedians like Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah headlining the event. Comedian Amber Ruffin hosted last year's dinner.

Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said in a statement that the renowned performing artist will offer a thrilling glimpse into the minds of newsmakers. "We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together."

Oz Pearlman poses as he arrives for the premiere of the new film 'Now you See me: Now You Don't' on Nov. 10, 2025 in Manhattan.

For the first time in either of his terms, President Donald Trump plans to attend the White House Correspondents' dinner. The shift in hosts follows an extra tempestuous year between the president and comedian hosts of late-night shows like Myers, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who have also previously hosted the dinner.

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In years past, former U.S. presidents have attended the event and even performed jokes of their own, including Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, and Joe Biden.

Who is Oz Pearlman?

Pearlman, 41, is one of the world's best-known mentalists, known for combining mentalism and mind-reading as he elevates his magic show into interactive experiences. Through his performances, he claims to peek inside people's brains by drawing on a seemingly divine intuition.

The Israeli-American and University of Michigan alum rose to fame when he wowed the nation on "America’s Got Talent" in 2015, finishing in third place in Season 10.

Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oz Pearlman to host Trump's first White House Correspondents' dinner

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