Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday evening after the event was interrupted by gunfire. A suspect is in custody, the FBI confirmed, after the annual black-tie dinner honoring the White House press corps at the Washington Hilton was thrown into chaos. Journalists ducked under tables as authorities rushed the president and members of his cabinet out of the room. The president and first lady were unharmed and later appeared at a press conference at the White House.
Details of the Incident
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, stated that a lone gunman rushed at the Secret Service in the hotel lobby. There is no indication that anyone else was involved. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is in custody and being evaluated at a local hospital. He did not appear to have been struck by gunfire. Jeffrey Carroll, the DC police chief, said investigators believe the suspect fired a shot and was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. The suspect is believed to have been a guest at the hotel. A motive for the attack has not yet emerged.
Legal Proceedings
Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, announced that the defendant is being charged with two counts of felony firearms and assault charges and will be arraigned on Monday. She expects additional charges to follow.
Trump's Response
In a press briefing from the White House later that evening, Trump praised the Secret Service and revealed that an agent was hit by a bullet that was stopped by a ballistic vest. The violence took place "quite far away," he said. "That was very unexpected but incredibly acted upon by Secret Service and law enforcement, and this was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press. And in a certain way, it did, because the fact that they just unified. I saw a room that was just totally unified." He also described the Washington Hilton as "not a particularly secure building" and argued for the construction of a ballroom at the White House, which he said would be larger and more secure.
Event Rescheduling
Weijia Jang, president of the White House correspondents' dinner, told attendees that the president wants to reschedule the dinner within the next 30 days. "Thank God everyone is safe, and thank you for coming together tonight. We will do this again," she said.
Eyewitness Accounts
Guests had just started eating dinner when commotion erupted at the back of the room. People screamed "Get down, get down!" as security agents stormed the stage and evacuated Trump and Melania, while others stood guard with rifles. Security agents pushed cabinet officials to the ground and evacuated them one by one. Journalists waited under tables for orders. CNN's Wolf Blitzer reported seeing the gunman on the ground after he started shooting, with police officers throwing him to the ground. Jamie Raskin, a Democratic congressman from Maryland, said he never saw the shooter but felt a Secret Service agent throw him to the ground on top of others. "People were terrified; people seem to be relieved now," he added. Kerry Kennedy, a lawyer and human rights activist, noted that Raskin whispered "you're OK" to her from beneath their table. Mike Johnson, the House speaker, expressed gratitude that no innocent people were harmed.
Aftermath
Guardian reporters in the room said there were initially mixed messages about whether to stay. The entire room emptied as the event was cancelled and the presidential seal removed from the podium. Helicopters circled overhead. This year's dinner was already tense given the presence of Trump and top cabinet members, including Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio. Trump attended this year after refusing last year and during his first term. The correspondents' dinner tradition began in 1921, with presidential attendance starting in 1924. The Washington Hilton is the same hotel where Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. When asked about threats to his life, Trump, who survived an assassination attempt in 2024, said: "It's a dangerous profession."
