The White House Correspondents' Dinner, an annual fixture in Washington’s social calendar since its inception shortly after the First World War, has evolved into a unique spectacle. It now serves as a red-carpet event for the capital’s journalistic elite, political staffers, and a diverse array of US business leaders and celebrities, all gathered to witness the US president and a comedian deliver their respective roasts.

While some years fade into obscurity, others produce indelible moments – whether humorous, cringeworthy, or undeniably tense – that resonate across social media and endure in public memory. As Donald Trump prepared for his first attendance as president , a look back at some of these defining moments offers insight into the dinner's complex history.

Reagan’s somber address

As a former Hollywood actor, Ronald Reagan , the 40th president, possessed a magnetic stage presence and an easy command of humour. It was during his presidency that comedians became an annual fixture at the dinner.…