Quite an evening: Trump's 1st reaction to White House Correspondents Dinner shooting
US President Donald Trump said the White House Correspondents' Association dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days after a shooting scare forced its evacuation, even as he initially suggested the event should continue.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night after loud bangs triggered panic inside the venue, prompting hundreds of guests to dive under tables as Secret Service agents swept the floor with weapons drawn.
About an hour after the incident, Trump said on Truth Social that the “shooter had been apprehended” and praised the Secret Service and law enforcement for their response. “Quite an evening in DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” he wrote.
“I have recommended that we ‘let the show go on’ but will entirely be guided by law enforcement,” he said initially.
However, in a subsequent update, Trump said he had spoken with officials overseeing the event and a new date would be set soon. “I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days,” he said.
SHOOTER IN CUSTODY, LEADERS EVACUATED
The US Secret Service confirmed that Trump and the First Lady were safe and that one person was in custody. A source familiar with the matter said the suspect was alive.
All protectees, including Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were evacuated as a precaution, officials said.
Authorities later said the incident originated outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where a person armed with a shotgun attempted to breach security and fired at a Secret Service agent. The agent was not injured, according to an FBI official.
CHAOS INSIDE, SHOTS HEARD OUTSIDE
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as loud bangs rang out, with some reporting hearing five to eight shots. Guests screamed “Get down, get down!” and took cover under tables while armed agents entered the dining area.
Trump briefly stumbled as he was escorted off the stage but was quickly helped up by agents. Many of the roughly 2,600 attendees remained under cover as waitstaff fled and broken plates and glasses littered the hall.\
Members of the National Guard and other security personnel flooded the hotel premises, while helicopters circled overhead and the building was placed under tight control.
EVENT SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY
The incident has also drawn attention to security arrangements at the annual event, which is held in a hotel that typically remains open to the public beyond the secured ballroom area, a setup that has previously allowed protests and disruptions in adjoining spaces.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night after loud bangs triggered panic inside the venue, prompting hundreds of guests to dive under tables as Secret Service agents swept the floor with weapons drawn.
About an hour after the incident, Trump said on Truth Social that the “shooter had been apprehended” and praised the Secret Service and law enforcement for their response. “Quite an evening in DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” he wrote.
“I have recommended that we ‘let the show go on’ but will entirely be guided by law enforcement,” he said initially.
However, in a subsequent update, Trump said he had spoken with officials overseeing the event and a new date would be set soon. “I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days,” he said.
SHOOTER IN CUSTODY, LEADERS EVACUATED
The US Secret Service confirmed that Trump and the First Lady were safe and that one person was in custody. A source familiar with the matter said the suspect was alive.
All protectees, including Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were evacuated as a precaution, officials said.
Authorities later said the incident originated outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where a person armed with a shotgun attempted to breach security and fired at a Secret Service agent. The agent was not injured, according to an FBI official.
CHAOS INSIDE, SHOTS HEARD OUTSIDE
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as loud bangs rang out, with some reporting hearing five to eight shots. Guests screamed “Get down, get down!” and took cover under tables while armed agents entered the dining area.
Trump briefly stumbled as he was escorted off the stage but was quickly helped up by agents. Many of the roughly 2,600 attendees remained under cover as waitstaff fled and broken plates and glasses littered the hall.\
Members of the National Guard and other security personnel flooded the hotel premises, while helicopters circled overhead and the building was placed under tight control.
EVENT SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY
The incident has also drawn attention to security arrangements at the annual event, which is held in a hotel that typically remains open to the public beyond the secured ballroom area, a setup that has previously allowed protests and disruptions in adjoining spaces.
