Weve had some significant tensions. Thats not a surprise. Weve also developed a good working relationship with president trumps press team pic i think that is led to some successes on behalf of the press corps. Theres some battles i didnt expect to fight, for example, the idea of the press would be out of the press room. We had a discussion about that and we are still there. The pool is lying on air force one and those are all good things. Let me ask you about the briefings in the debriefing room. It is really midway between the west wing and the white house itself. Why is it so important to be in the allocation . It is critical to be in the location just to be present for when things happen here at the white house, when the president decides to speak to the press we are right there. If the president has a meeting with a foreign leader we are right there. If theres something lastminute when you need the press or in many cases the press pool to come in and see something, we are right there. Being at the white house shows the transparency that is protected by the constitution, by the First Amendment. Our coming to the gates of the whitest everyday to report on the administration to shed light on what the administration is doing are all things that are protected by the First Amendment. The best way to be able to fulfill those responsibilities is to be in that pressroom to close with the president is doing his work . Tension not new. Dates back to washington. Is it a different with this president . Your right to say theres been tension between the press and the presidency for decades, for longer than that. Its just a part, inherent part of the relationship. Its hard for me to compare this to lots of other administrations where i wasnt myself a correspondent body would say that tension has been high and that is part of, partially driven by the fact that President Donald Trump has said and some of his tweets and his public remarks very critical things about the media. It is our job to continue doing our jobs regardless of the type of criticism that comes from the president. And as i said before despite some about not insignificant tension, we have worked very hard to develop a good working relationship with his team. One of those tweets as you will know earlier this year, i will not be attending the whitest Responders Association dinner, from President Donald Trump did us a price you . It did insofar as we didnt have a warning, but that tweet was coming. I certainly do that it was a possibility that the president would decide not to, but we had not had discussions about it. The most discussion i had with sean spicer was to tell the date of the dinner and, of course, the president is invited to the dinner and would have been welcome. That was his decision to make to decide that to come, and he can speak for himself about the signal he wants to send with that decision. But we will have the dinner and thats why were talking today. Cspan will be coming to dinner. Why do you think he decided not to show . The reason he gave or that his people have given was because of the relationship between the press and the white house and President Donald Trump, i think they feel like his coverage has not been to their liking. I would argue that there are presidency dating back probably to George Washington as you just said, who dont think there, which has to their liking. And thats just part of the gig really when youre the president of the united states. I understand there are criticisms and i think its fair to ask reporters and correspondents to correct mistakes when you make mistakes but it is our job to provide robust and sometimes Critical Coverage of the white house and of the president. Thats what we do and that is not connected to the dinner. I think its too bad the president decided not to, for whatever reason, but as i said we are going to have the dubuque where going to highlight the importance of the First Amendment at that event. White house colleague said the bigger issue is that the president skipping the dinner but members of the president s cabinet, the white house staff pick a call that unprecedented. I think it is unprecedented and its unfortunate. I think again the signal that they decided with that is only one that they can speak to. I think it sends a signal that is unfortunate to the american people. As i said before we have worked really hard to develop a constructive relationship with his whitest and do something with it are showcased if they had come. But its up to them to make the decision, and its up to us to continue doing our jobs and we will do that and will do that at the dinner as a. 2700 people inside the washington hilton. How did it all come together . Explained how youre able to book the headline of. And is a big production to get that many people in the room and have the entertainment planned. I had a lot of support for that pic its a privilege but also a lot of work as president of the association to be in charge of that. As i was looking for a headliner i was looking for somebody who could bring that entertainment value to the dinner that we like. I want people to come and enjoy themselves and having a bit of comity has become a part of the dinner. That said i was also looking for somebody who was not going to roast the president in absentia. I think with hasan minhaj from the daily show that i found somebody who is going to do that for. You want to focus on the First Amendment, so how will you do that . Theres a few Different Things will highlight the First Amendment. We will there will be a big band on stage. We will be talking about it in our video production, talking about it in our remarks on the stage. My remarks. I think hasan will no doubt making it as well. And im very happy to say that bob woodward and Carl Bernstein will be there and do work for the Washington Post during the watergate era is also just a shining example of the importance of Good Journalism and the protection provided by the First Amendment. Finally this is a start of a new administration so presumably at least three more dense with president trump. How does the association move it in subsequent years . Thats a good question and that will be up to my predecessors in this role to help navigate. I think what we want to do is send a signal and we have sent that signaled that the president is welcome at our dinner. His staff is welcome at our dinner. It is possible even when there is tension to have a good and of his constructive working relationship with staff and with the president himself, that is something that we care about and we are working towards. Even as we continue to provide robust coverage of this white house, as we would regardless of who was president of the united states. Thats what we will continue to do after the dinner and in the years to come. Jeff mason as president of the White House Correspondents Association and reporter for reuters, thank you. My pleasure