Washington: Images and messages referencing US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto the Washington Hilton on April 24, in a protest held a day before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The video showed archival footage of Trump and Epstein together, along with images of heavily redacted documents said to be related to the Epstein files. Organisers also displayed text and audio claiming to reference emails involving Epstein and his associates.

The video opened with a direct message to Trump, stating that the Hilton would soon host him as the guest of honour at the annual dinner, and accused his administration of a “cover-up” related to the release of Epstein-related documents.

It also alleged that only part of the Epstein files had been released, claiming that many pages were blacked out and that names of powerful people had been removed. The message further suggested that Trump’s name appeared in some of the documents.

The video referenced alleged emails attributed to Epstein, including one sent to Ghislaine Maxwell in which Epstein reportedly wrote: “The dog that hasn’t barked is Trump.” It also cited another alleged email sent to author Michael Wolff stating: “Of course he knew about the girls.”

The video ended with Trump’s image alongside Epstein and the caption calling to “end the cover-up.”

The protest comes ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a major annual gathering in Washington attended by journalists, political leaders, and public figures covering the US presidency. Trump is expected to attend this year’s event, marking his first appearance at the dinner while in office.

The White House Correspondents’ Association, which hosts the event, traditionally invites the sitting president as part of its focus on press freedom and political engagement.

Trump has long had a contentious relationship with the media, frequently dismissing critical reporting as “fake news” and previously skipping the dinner during his first term and again in 2025.