Trump holding rally in Michigan, skipping correspondents' dinner

Paul Egan | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump Gives WH Reporters' Kids Oval Office Tour President Donald Trump treated the children of White House journalists to an Oval Office visit Thursday but left their parents, many of whom he criticizes, outside looking in through the windows. (April 26)

President Trump makes a return visit Saturday to a part of Michigan that was key to his victory in November.

Trump will speak at what his officials are calling a campaign rally at 7 p.m. at Total Sports Park in Washington Township, north of Detroit.

"Look forward to being in the Great State of Michigan tonight," Trump said in a tweet hours before the event.

He also tweeted: "Major business expansion and jobs pouring into your State. Auto companies expanding at record pace. Big crowd tonight, will be live on T.V."

Look forward to being in the Great State of Michigan tonight. Major business expansion and jobs pouring into your State. Auto companies expanding at record pace. Big crowd tonight, will be live on T.V. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2018

Trump is staging the event at the same time as the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington D.C. The president traditionally attends that dinner, but Trump said he won't attend the event for the second straight year.

The president regularly castigates the White House press corps — and the media generally — as purveyors of "fake news."

Read more: Trump won't go to the White House Correspondents' Dinner because the press is 'so fake'

Read more: Trump: Top Dem. should resign after former VA nominee Jackson's reputation 'shattered'

Trump, a Republican, beat Democrat Hillary Clinton by just under 11,000 votes in Michigan in 2016. But in Macomb County, he beat Clinton by more than 48,000 votes.

Prior to Trump's appearance, starting at 4:30 p.m., Democrats are planning a protest rally at a local union headquarters.

Saturday's visit is Trump's second visit to Michigan as president.