Awkward moment as Trump congratulates reporters he is suing

US President Donald Trump responded with humour on Thursday after reporters from the Wall Street Journal were honoured at the White House Correspondents' Dinner for an investigative report that prompted a legal battle between the president and the newspaper.

The journalists received the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability for their July 2025 investigation into a birthday card and drawing that Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein, says the New York Post.

Despite having sued the Wall Street Journal over the report, Trump smiled, laughed and shook hands with each of the reporters who worked on the story during the ceremony. At one point, he threw his hands in the air and appeared to mouth, "I don't know."

In remarks to attendees, Trump said, "This has not been an easy evening, all those awards," before later asking the audience, "Do I have a say?"

The award-winning investigation reported on a note allegedly written by Trump for a 50th birthday book for Epstein that was compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell. According to the report, the note included a drawing of a naked woman with Trump's signature positioned to resemble pubic hair.

The report led lawmakers from both major US political parties to call for the release of documents related to Epstein, which the Trump administration later made public.

Trump denied the authenticity of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over the story.

A US District Court judge dismissed the original lawsuit in April, finding that Trump had failed to establish "actual malice", the legal standard required in US defamation cases involving public figures.

Trump has continued to maintain that the letter is fake and filed an amended complaint in May. The case remains before the courts.