Top WH aide explains why Trump is skipping WHCA dinner — and Americans will love the reason

A top White House aide explained on Sunday why President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he won't attend this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, deputy White House press secretary, said on ABC News that Trump's job as president isn't to hobnob with reporters and celebrities. Instead, Trump's job is to serve the American people, she explained.

"This wasn’t a president that was elected to spend his time with reporters and celebrities," Huckabee Sanders said. "This is a president who campaigned on speaking directly to Americans, and that’s what he’s going to spend his time doing."

The annual dinner attracts politicians, journalists and celebrities and is typically attended by the president, who's often roasted.

In addition, Huckabee Sanders said it would be "naive" to think there wouldn't be obvious tension if Trump attended the dinner, offering ABC "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos an old anaology from the South.

"You know, one of the things we say in the South: If a Girl Scout egged your house, would you buy cookies from her? I think that this is a pretty similar scenario. There's no reason for him to go in and sit and pretend like this is going to be just another Saturday night," she said.

Watch below. The relevant part begins at 8:55:

The Associated Press contributed to this story.