The annual Gridiron Membership dinner in Washington on Saturday featured jokes about President Trump, the breakdown of the worldwide order, Russia, Democrats’ unsure future and, after all, Elon Musk.

One of many headliners was Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, a rising star within the Democratic Get together. He acknowledged that his talking slot was an indication of his personal political ambitions, whereas making a jab on the White Home’s present occupant.

“If I truly wished to be president, I wouldn’t do any of this,” he stated. “As a substitute, I’d take my case on to the people who find themselves answerable for our democracy. The Kremlin.”

Even in any case these years, jokes about Mr. Trump and Russia nonetheless play with the official Washington crowd. These within the Hyatt basement, which was full of reporters, editors, tv anchors and ambassadors, laughed alongside.

However Mr. Trump wasn’t there to listen to any of it.

He and high members of his administration skipped the dinner, which is a type of old school Washington rituals. Presidents courting again to William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt have attended the occasion hosted by the Gridiron Membership, an affiliation of high journalists that was shaped in 1885.

It has traditionally been an opportunity for a president to schmooze with the individuals masking him, in addition to to point out a capability to make jokes in regards to the political fights of the day — and take just a few, too.

Mr. Trump skipped the dinner in 2017, the primary yr he was president, however he did attend in 2018. That yr, he made some self-deprecating jokes in regards to the turmoil of his administration. (“I like chaos. It actually is sweet. Who’s going to be the subsequent to go away? Steve Miller, or Melania?”) That was the primary and final time he attended.

President Joseph R. Biden Jr. went final yr and cracked jokes in regards to the upcoming presidential marketing campaign that haven’t precisely aged effectively. (“One candidate’s too previous and mentally unfit to be president,” he stated that yr. “The opposite man’s me.”)

This yr, with no president current, lesser political and media gamers have been left to fill the void. The jokes they informed supplied a snapshot of this second within the capital.

The PBS journalist Judy Woodruff opened up the room with jokes about Mr. Musk fathering so many youngsters and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ingesting. She ripped on the Democrats, too: “On the joint session, they have been extra misplaced and disorganized than Patrick Mahomes on the Tremendous Bowl,” she stated, referring to the Kansas Metropolis quarterback.

The Republican headliner was Consultant Lisa McClain of Michigan. “I used to be additionally informed Robert Kennedy was going to be right here tonight, however sadly he couldn’t make it,” she stated, “he’s obtained the measles.”

“Now let’s discuss a little bit bit about Pam Bondi,” Ms. McClain stated. The rumor, she stated, was that Mr. Trump wished his lawyer normal to be somebody with “day by day expertise about how the felony justice system labored, which is sensible.”

“However sadly,” she added, “we needed to choose Pam as a result of the Menendez brothers have been unavailable.”

The consultant additionally went in on Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who has confronted a fierce backlash for opposing after which supporting Republicans’ spending invoice this previous week to keep away from a authorities shutdown. “Look, I really feel very sorry for Chuck Schumer and the best way he’s been handled by his personal celebration, even the sanctuary cities gained’t let him in.” That obtained just a few low laughs. “Too quickly?” Ms. McClain requested.

There have been additionally skits.

One song-and-dance quantity concerned a person dressed as Mr. Musk in his tech assist T-shirt waving a series noticed round, singing about his flip towards the far proper: “I’ll flip the G.O.P. into the A.F.D.,” he sang.

One of many much less profitable acts centered on two males pretending to be the Home minority chief, Hakeem Jeffries, and Mr. Schumer, the Senate minority chief, coated in leaves. “Misplaced within the woods” was the refrain. (“Nobody cares about your pronouns whenever you’re misplaced within the woods.”)

One other quantity portrayed Mr. Biden dressed as an Amtrak worker. It appeared to get a touch higher reception that the one with the leaves.

One more featured a portrayal of two different high-profile Democrats, with Consultant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York preventing with Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. She accused him of being a MAGA adherent in disguise, and he accused her of being a communist. One other act had a mock Usha Vance singing about being a phony populist.

There have been jokes that few individuals outdoors that wonky room may perceive, reminiscent of when Terry McAuliffe, the previous Virginia governor, made a reference to the Woodrow Wilson Worldwide Middle for Students, a nonpartisan assume tank. (It’s being focused by the Trump administration.)

Margaret Brennan of CBS shouted out members of the diplomatic corps from Britain, France, Australia and the European Union. “You realize,” she stated, “all of America’s enemies.”

Then she launched the Ukrainian ambassador — there was no joke informed — and the numerous journalists within the room stood as much as clap.