Gunman at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Tweet

Breaking News:

A Secret Service officer who was shot as a gunman rushed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night is “in great shape,” President Trump said.

“One officer was shot, but saved by the fact that he was wearing obviously a very good bulletproof vest,” Trump said in a press conference on Saturday night, noting the officer was being treated at a local hospital.

“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer, and he’s doing great. He’s in great shape. He is in very high spirits.”

Secret Service agents rush President Trump off the dais after a shooting inside the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026. (Reuters screenshot)

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the ballroom alongside a wave of senior administration officials after suspected gunman, Cole Allen, 31, allegedly stormed a security checkpoint and pushed toward the event armed with two firearms and multiple knives, according to police and sources.

Gunfire erupted roughly 20 minutes after Trump arrived at the annual dinner at the Washington Hilton, which was packed with more than 2,000 guests.

The black-tie crowd — including Washington journalists, cabinet members and White House aides — scrambled for cover as shots rang out, with some diving under tables and others rushing toward exits.

The panic unfolded in seconds, witnesses said, as Secret Service agents converged on the threat inside the hotel lobby area outside the ballroom.

White House Correspondents’ Association. Everyone essentially sat down to start dinner. It was the first course and we were socializing, and then suddenly I heard about five shots, loud booms from behind where I was sitting, outside of the ballroom, but in the hotel.

Obviously, there was a lot of shock and I was stunned. I didn’t know what was going on, but then I suddenly realized it was gunshots, I dove to the floor with a lot of other people.

We were down there for about 10 minutes, unsure what was going on. It appeared to have stopped quickly because there were no gunshots after that.

There was a protest outside before, so the police had already cordoned off part of the street.

Any time the president comes to any building, there’s a heavy security presence, but all you need to get into the hotel is a ticket, and the ballroom is actually on the lower level of the hotel itself, and to get down there, you need to show your ticket.

There was airport-level security around the ballroom…so it’s not clear where he [the suspect] was obviously, but we will find out.

The president, the first lady, and members of Trump’s Cabinet were unharmed.

Officials say the suspect – who was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives – rushed to a Secret Service checkpoint at the hotel at about 8:36 pm local time on Saturday (00:36 GMT, Sunday).

The suspect traded gunfire with a law enforcement officer, who was hit in his bulletproof vest and is now receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The suspect was not struck by gunfire, but is also currently in hospital for evaluation.

Officials say the suspect was from California and believe that he acted alone.

The suspect will be charged with two counts of “using a firearm during a crime of violence” and for “assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon”. He will be arraigned in a federal court on Monday.