White House reporters launched a hard-hitting attack on Donald Trump Saturday at the annual Correspondents' Association dinner - which the President pointedly snubbed.

The president of the White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason, used the get-together at the Washington Hilton to strongly criticize a president who has used his first 100 days of power as an opportunity to attack the media.

The absence of President Donald Trump, who has called the media 'fake,' 'dishonest' and even 'the enemy of the people,' marks the first time a president has declined since Ronald Reagan in 1981, who was, at the time, recovering from an assassination attempt.

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The president of the White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason, used the get-together at the Washington Hilton to strongly criticize a president who has used his first 100 days of power as an opportunity to attack the media

The absence of President Donald Trump, who has called the media 'fake,' 'dishonest' and even 'the enemy of the people,' marks the first time a president has declined since Ronald Reagan in 1981, who was, at the time, recovering from an assassination attempt

Mason pulled no punches as he spoke about the actions of the absent President.

'It would be wrong not to address the criticisms leveled at us by President Trump,' he began - to applause and cheers from a room which was stripped of the celebrities and politicians who had in recent years been a feature of the dinner.

'We are not fake news. We are not failing news organizations and we are not the enemy of the American people.'

The phrase 'enemy of the people' had been one of the most trenchant attacks launched by the President towards the media.

Mason went on to say that all reporters in Washington share the common interest of protecting and sharing the core values of the democracy, of those being the First Amendment and freedom of press.

'An attack on one of us is an attack on any of us,' he said.

'At previous dinners we have rightly talked about the threats to freedom of press abroad.

'It is now right that we talk about threats at home. The world is watching.'

He then said: 'The outpouring of support for the WHCA has been heartwarming.'

Mason also shared a short clip of Alex Baldwin's now notorious impersonation of Trump - one that particularly disgruntles the President.

The symbolism of using Baldwin was not lost on the audience who responded with applause and laughter.

The only member of the Trump camp seen at the event was an ousted ex-adviser, Boris Ephstyn.

Instead of attending the dinner, the President decided to hold a 'first 100 days rally' in Pennsylvania, where he and Vice President Pence spoke about the 'successes' that he has seen in office so far.

Members of Trump's staff also decided not to attend the dinner in 'solidarity' to their boss.

Trump has decided to hold a rally in Pennsylvania instead, and his White House staff will also be absent, in what was described as 'solidarity' with their boss

The President and Vice President spoke about their 'successful' first 100 days, taking ample opportunity to bash the 'fake news' media

The WHCA added to its pointed words by having Watergate legends Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein address the dinner and hand out 'first amendment' badges to attendees.

Bernstein was applauded raucously for his repeated use of the word 'lies,' a word which has become freighted with meaning as a series of mainstream media outlets have put aside years of convention to accuse Trump of lying directly - something most did not even do to Bill Clinton at the height of the Monica Lewinsky affair.

'Follow the Money - but also follow the lies,' he said. 'Our job is to put the best obtainable version of the truth out there. Period. Especially now.'

Carl Bernstein was applauded raucously for his repeated use of the word 'lies,' a word which has become freighted with meaning as a series of mainstream media outlets have put aside years of convention to accuse Trump of lying directly

Woodward, his partner in the Washington Post story which led to the fall of Richard Nixon's presidency, initially struck a more conciliatory note

Woodward, his partner in the Washington Post story which led to the fall of Richard Nixon's presidency, initially struck a more conciliatory note.

'The press, especially the so called mainstream media, comes under attack during presidential campaigns and their aftermath,' he began.

He then quickly turned on Trump: 'The effort today to get this best obtainable version of the truth is largely done in good faith.

'Mr President, the media is not fake news. Let's take that off the table as we proceed.'

He also warned reporters, including CBS's White House Correspondent Major Garrett, David Farenthold of the Washington Post, and Chris Matthews, anchor of MSNBC's Hardball: 'The polls show distrust for the media.'

But he added with a shrug: 'So be it.'

The message of defiance was a stark contrast to recent years' version of the dinner, and to the 'dinner' held earlier in the day by Samantha Bee and televised on TBS, which saw Will Ferrell reprise his impersonation of George W Bush.

To really bring their message home, the WHCA used the 'Daily Show' comedian Hassan Minhaj (pictured) to launch an all-out attack on Trump and his administration

Hasan Minhaj (L) will host the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, while Samantha Bee (R) will be hosting the 'Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner' in Washington

To really bring their message home, the WHCA used the 'Daily Show' comedian Hassan Minhaj to launch an all-out attack on Trump and his administration.

Minhaj explained that he was asked not to make fun of the absent President, because it would be childish.

However, he proceeded anyway, saying that he was just echoing the rhetoric of the 'childish' president.

He made a point to call out those members of the Trump the administration were not there, such as Steve Bannon, Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump.

'I do not see Steve Bannon,' he said repeatedly, slowing the words 'not see' down,. giving the effect of saying 'Nazi- Steve Bannon'.

'Jeff Sessions, on his reply card, just wrote no - his second favorite N-word.'

Minhaj then went straight for the jugular on the president, saying: 'Donald Trump is liar in chief.'

He also made sure to bring up Trump's chief spokesman, saying 'I think he's at home googling how to fake his own death.'

Minhaj was given a standing ovation at the end of his attack, which he finished off by saying: 'Donald Trump doesn't care about free speech. The man who tweets everything that enters his head doesn't care about the amendment which lets him do that.'

Before Saturday night's dinner, the head of the WHCA said that the focus of the evening would not be on the red carpet but on the bedrock principles of the event: the First Amendment and the crucial role of the press in a democracy.

Author James Patterson and NBC News Correspondent Kristen Welker arrive on the red carpet of the 2017 dinner

Not that those principles haven't always been central to the mission of an event that began in 1921, notes Jeff Mason, WHCA president. But, he says, 'the focus will be entirely on that this year, and I think that's a great thing.'

Though the President was amiss, he pointed out that even if he had come this year's event would have been different.

Mason said, 'based on the tension that has existed in the relationship and some of the things he has said about the press. We were preparing for a different dinner either way.'

Besides the high-profile after-parties (some of which have been canceled this year), the correspondents' dinner has spawned a number of annual events the same weekend, like the fundraiser Friday night for The Creative Coalition, an advocacy group fighting for continued arts funding.

The dinner didn't start out as a multi-day celebrity-studded event. Most trace that development to 1987, when then-Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Kelly brought Fawn Hall, the secretary in the center of the Iran-Contra affair. That began a tradition. In 2012, Lindsay Lohan came as the guest of Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, a development that earned scorn from Tom Brokaw. ('Give me a break,' he said in an interview with Politico.)

The potentially (to some) uncomfortable glitz factor, not to mention the schmoozing of administration officials and journalists who cover them, led a few news organizations to stop attending in recent years. But other guests have seen it as a good opportunity to get some business done.

'There's always business going down,' says Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition. 'In Washington, you'd be hard-pressed to find a party that doesn't have a purpose. It tastes good, but it's good for you.'

Bronk says the WHCA dinner, celeb factor aside, 'does a fine job of reminding us why a free press is so important. They always do a great job protecting this great amendment that we have.'