King Charles’s security is being reviewed ahead of his state visit to the United States this week after a gunman attempted to storm a dinner attended by Donald Trump in Washington DC. The incident occurred at the White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday night, where guests hid under tables as the Secret Service evacuated the president and other administration members. No fatalities were reported, though one officer wearing a bulletproof vest was shot and taken to hospital.
The suspect, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer with a dangerous weapon. He was said to have been carrying a shotgun and a handgun at the time of the attack. Buckingham Palace confirmed that the king was “greatly relieved” that all guests, including President Trump and the first lady, were unharmed.
In a statement on Sunday evening, the palace said the state visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla would proceed as planned, following discussions between UK and US officials. “There will be some modest adjustments to one or two royal engagements during the trip, but the overall plan remains unchanged,” a palace spokesperson added.
The four-day visit, beginning on Monday, includes stops in Virginia, New York and Washington DC to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. The king is scheduled to meet President Trump privately and attend a state banquet. He will also take part in a 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in memory of the 67 British victims of the 2001 attacks.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the UK and US were “working closely to ensure that security arrangements are put appropriately in place” for the visit. He told the BBC that ongoing discussions would determine the level of security needed, adding: “There’ll be appropriate security in place in relation to the risk.”
