President Donald Trump has slammed the White House correspondents' dinner as a 'very big, boring bust' after skipping this year's event in favor of a campaign-style rally in Michigan.

Trump chose the crucial election venue of Washington for his rally on Saturday evening, which not coincidentally came the same night as the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner.

'While Washington, Michigan, was a big success, Washington, D.C., just didn't work. Everyone is talking about the fact that the White House Correspondents Dinner was a very big, boring bust... the so-called comedian really 'bombed,' Trump tweeted early Sunday.

That barb was directed at comedian Michelle Wolf who provided the after-dinner entertainment for the White House press corps and their guests.

President Trump skipped the White House correspondents' dinner in Washington DC and scheduled a campaign-style rally in Washington, Michigan instead on Saturday night

The comedian delivered a surprisingly racy performance and after one crass joke drew groans from the audience, Wolf said: 'Yeah, shoulda done more research before you got me to do this.'

Trump's barb was directed at comedian Michelle Wolf who provided the after-dinner entertainment for the White House press corps and their guests

As he did last year, Trump flew to a Republican-friendly district to rally supporters on the same night as the dinner.

In Michigan, the president assured his audience he'd rather be there than in that other city by that name.

'Is this better than that phony Washington White House Correspondents' Dinner? Is this more fun?' Trump asked, sparking cheers.

'I could be up there tonight, smiling, like I love where they're hitting you, shot after shot. These people, they hate your guts... and you've got to smile. If you don't smile, they say, "He was terrible, he couldn't take it." And if you do smile, they'll say, "What was he smiling about?"'

Wolf's act had some in the audience laughing and left others in stony silence.

A blistering critique of White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was seated just feet away, mocked everything from her truthfulness to her appearance and Southern roots.

Wolf's act had some in the audience laughing and left others in stony silence, including press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders who was seated just feet away

As he did last year, Trump flew to a Republican-friendly district to rally supporters on the same night as the dinner

Trump also tweeted Sunday morning that recent poll results were higher than Obama's at the same time

'I like Sarah, I think she's really resourceful. She burns facts and uses the ash to create a perfect smokey eye,' she said. 'Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's lies.

'I'm never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Is it Sarah Sanders, is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is it Cousin Huckabee, is it Aunt Huckabee Sanders?'

'What's Uncle Tom but for white women who disappoint other white women? Ah I Know, Aunt Coulter.'

One of the evening's most shocking moments came while Wolf was attacking Vice President Mike Pence, and joked about abortion.

'Mike Pence is what happens when Anderson Cooper isn't gay. Mike Pence is the kind of guy who brushes his teeth and then drinks orange juice and thinks, Mmm,' said Wolf.

'He thinks abortion is murder. Which first of all don't knock it til you try it. And when you do try it, really knock it, you gotta get that baby out of there.'

The dinner once attracted Oscar winners and other notable performers in film and television as well as celebrities in sports and other high-profile professions.

The star power dimmed appreciably last year when the famously thin-skinned Trump, who routinely slammed reporters as dishonest and their work as 'fake news,' announced he wasn't attending.

He was the first president to skip the event since Ronald Reagan bowed out in 1981 as he recovered from an assassination attempt.

Unlike last year, when Trump aides also declined to attend, the Trump White House had its contingent, including counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

Former administration officials Sean Spicer, ex-chief of staff Reince Priebus, former chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and ex-political aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman also attended.

Porn star Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti and comedian Kathy Griffin, who last year posted controversial video of herself holding what appeared to be Trump's bloody head, also turned up.

As he has at similar events, Trump used the two-hour speech to promote top agenda items that energize grassroots conservatives