DeSantis accuses Washington press of lying about him attending the White House Correspondents Dinner

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted the press corps that organized the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington for claiming he was in the audience on Saturday when comedian Trevor Noah took jabs at him from the podium.

DeSantis was invited by two news outlets, Newsmax and USA Today. He declined both invitations. His name was nonetheless listed on the dinner program.

“I would never attend that,” Mr. DeSantis, a Republican running for a second term who also eyeing a presidential run in 2024, said during a press conference at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  “I have no interest in that. I did not watch it. I don’t care what they do. But for them to advertise me, when that invitation was rejected by my office, that is a lie.”

The dinner, attended by President Biden, Washington officials and Hollywood stars, featured a comedic performance by Mr. Noah, who is the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”

Mr. Noah took jabs at Mr. DeSantis’ popularity and potential rivalry with former President Donald Trump, and he drew laughs ridiculing the governor’s decision to ban certain public school math books because they contained elements of critical race theory. 

Mr. Noah also mocked Mr. DeSantis for prohibiting vaccine mandates and lockdowns in the state. 

“Trump was the original Terminator, and DeSantis is like the T-1000,” Mr. Noah said, acting as though he was speaking to the governor in the audience. “You’re smarter than him, you’re slicker than him, you can walk down ramps. Because you see, Trump said he won the election, but everyone was just able to look at the numbers and see he was wrong. That’s why Ron DeSantis is one step ahead, first you ban the math textbooks, then nobody knows how to count the votes.”

Mr. Noah told the crowd Mr. DeSantis was “here” at the dinner.

“I’m actually surprised he found the time,” Mr. Noah said. “You know he has been so busy trying to outmaneuver Trump for 2024. I see you, Ron. I see you, player. I’ve seen what you’ve been doing, blaming Trump for the lockdowns, distancing yourself from the vaccines that Trump created with his own two hands.”

Mr. DeSantis was asked about the jokes at Monday’s press conference and said the claim that he was at the dinner underscores why the public does not trust the media. 

“Here they are saying how important they are, that they’re somehow these paragons of truth, and yet there they are lying about something that is readily verifiable,’’ Mr. DeSantis said.