‘Get down, get down!’ Trump and Melania rushed to safety as shots fired at White House dinner | Video

Reports say shots were fired at a DC hotel during the White House Correspondents' Dinner, prompting Secret Service to evacuate Donald Trump as chaos unfolded.

3 min readApr 26, 2026 10:03 AM IST First published on: Apr 26, 2026 at 08:25 AM IST
Trump White House Correspondents DinnerLaw enforcement respond to an incident at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents Dinner. (Photo: AP)

White House dinner shooting: US President Donald Trump was rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after a shooting incident near the venue in Washington, according to Reuters .

Panic after loud noise

The incident began with a loud, unexplained noise near the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held. Witnesses said it sounded like gunfire, with some reporting hearing multiple shots. Inside the hall, the mood shifted quickly as shouts of “Get down, get down!” were heard and guests ducked for cover.

Trump escorted out

Within moments, Secret Service agents moved in and escorted Trump and First Lady Melania Trump out of the venue. The evacuation was carried out swiftly as security personnel took control of the situation.

Hall cleared, security tightened

The banquet hall, filled with journalists, officials and public figures awaiting Trump’s speech, was evacuated. National Guard personnel were deployed inside the building, while security outside was tightened. Authorities later sealed the area and treated it as a crime scene.

‘A shooter has been apprehended’

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “A shooter has been apprehended,” adding that he and Vice President JD Vance were safe. The US Secret Service also confirmed that one person was in custody.
Investigation under way

The president says he has just posted on social media a picture of the man in custody and security camera footage of what appears to be the start of the shooting.

Trump shooting
(Photo: @realDonaldTrump)

Officials said the shooting occurred near a screening area outside the main event space. The Secret Service said the condition of those involved was not yet known and that law enforcement agencies were continuing to assess the situation.

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