President Donald Trump arrives at the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House after a shooting incident outside the ballroom at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington. (A)Trump Event Shooting Highlights: Alleged White House Correspondents Dinner shooter Cole Allen sent an anti-President Trump manifesto to his family members about 10 minutes before opening fire at Saturday night’s dinner — calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and revealing he was trying to kill Trump administration officials, The New York Post reported.
After the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner where President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were present, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect will be charged on Monday morning. He said the suspect seemed to not cooperating with probe and added that he does not know if there is an Iranian connection to the incident. The US President and First Lady were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington by Secret Service agents on Saturday night after a man opened fire on security personnel nearby.
Suspect detained: A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a California resident about 31 years old. Little was immediately known about Allen’s background, but social media postings suggested he was a teacher in Torrance, near Los Angeles. Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated but it was too soon to say what his motivation was, Carroll said. Based on preliminary information, he was believed to have been a guest at the hotel, Carroll added.
Trump rejects Correspondents' Dinner attack conspiracies in extended 60 Minutes sit-down.
In an extended 60 Minutes interview, President Trump dismissed White House Correspondents' Dinner attack conspiracy theories, saying people spreading them are "more sick than they are con people." pic.twitter.com/Ih9aJBjETf
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 27, 2026
Donald Trump also told 60 Minutes he “wasn’t worried” about injuries during the commotion at the press dinner and that “we live in crazy world”.
Norah O’Donnell says in the interview soon to be aired on television that she was in the room when it occurred and could hear what sounded like gunshots or commotion. People nearby could smell gunpowder and “everybody hit the floor”. She asks Trump: “How worried were you that there were going to be injuries?”
Trump replies, "I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world.”
Barack Obama has taken to social media to decry the Washington DC shooting and say violence has no place in the US democracy.
The former Democratic president posted on X, "Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy. It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that US Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them – and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay."
Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy. It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 26, 2026
A gunman on Saturday fired shots during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner attended by US President Donald Trump at Washington Hilton. This was the same hotel where former president Ronald Reagan was shot at in 1981, according to BBC News.
On Saturday evening, Trump and other officials were evacuated after gunfire was reported near the venue. The overlap in location has brought renewed attention to one of the most well-known attacks on a former US president. Read more
when security came in to secure the president and others, including vice-president JD Vance, who is grabbed by his coat at the table and moved out.
Norah O’Donnell asks Trump, “At one point you were down. What was happening?”
The president replies in the 60 Minutes interview: "Well … it was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn’t making it that easy for ’em. I wanted to see what was going on. And by that time we started to realise maybe it was a bad problem, different kind of a problem, bad one. And different than what would be normal noise from a ballroom, which you hear all the time. And I was surrounded by great people. And I probably made them act a little bit more slowly. I said: ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute. Lemme see. Wait a minute.’ So, you know, I’m telling guys to –”
when reporter Norah O’Donnell read parts of the “manifesto” allegedly written by the suspected shooter that referred a “rapist” and “pedophile” and asked Trump to react.
“I was waiting for you to read that, because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people,” the president responded, continuing: "Yeah he did write that, I’m not a rapist … I read the manifesto. You know, he’s a sick person. You shouldn’t be reading that on 60 Minutes, you’re a disgrace, but go ahead, let’s finish the interview.”
President Donald Trump's Justice Department is using the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday to try to pressure preservationists to drop their lawsuit over his planned USD 400 million ballroom on the site of the former East Wing of the White House.
"It's time to build the ballroom," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said plainly Sunday on X, posting a letter in which Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate gave the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has sued to block construction, until 9 am Monday to dismiss its lawsuit.
Donald Trump also told 60 Minutes he “wasn’t worried” about injuries during the commotion at the press dinner and that “we live in crazy world”.
Norah O’Donnell said in the interview she was in the room when it occurred and could hear what sounded like gunshots or commotion. People nearby could smell gunpowder and “everybody hit the floor”. She asked Trump: “How worried were you that there were going to be injuries?”
Trump replies in the interview: "I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world."
President Trump sits down with 60 Minutes to discuss what happened at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night. pic.twitter.com/sLCkILKZDX
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) April 26, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspect accused of trying to attack administration officials at Saturday night's White House Correspondents' Association dinner was a "pretty sick guy" who had an anti-Christian manifesto. Trump said in TV interviews that the suspect's family previously expressed concerns about him to law enforcement officials.
Donald Trump will make an appearance on the CBS News program 60 Minutes, according to Steven Cheung, the White House communications director.
“President Trump sits down with 60 Minutes to discuss what happened at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night,” Cheung wrote in a post on X, accompanied by an image of the president being interviewed.
President Trump sits down with 60 Minutes to discuss what happened at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night. pic.twitter.com/sLCkILKZDX
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) April 26, 2026
Buckingham Palace on Sunday said that King Charles' US visit will go ahead as planned despite incident at White House correspondents' dinner.
The man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner sent writings to family members minutes before the shooting referring to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” railing against Trump administration policies and signaling what investigators increasingly believe was a politically driven attack, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. (AP)
US President Donald Trump said that everyone now understands how badly a new White House ballroom is needed, according to Fox News.
Reuters
Alleged White House Correspondents Dinner shooter Cole Allen sent an anti-President Trump manifesto to his family members about 10 minutes before opening fire at Saturday night’s dinner — calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and revealing he was trying to kill Trump administration officials, The New York Post reported.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the alleged White House Correspondents Dinner shooter had a lot of hatred for quite a while and his family knew he had a lot of difficulty.
President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were the likely targets of a suspect who fired on a security agent guarding the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday.
"It does appear that he, he did, in fact, have set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president," Blanche told NBC News' "Meet the Press," adding that the suspect likely traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington.
Reuters
After the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner where President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were present, US top official Todd Blanche said the suspect will be charged on Monday morning. He said the suspect seemed to not cooperating with probe and added that he does not know if there is an Iranian connection to the incident.
This is not the first security incident involving US President Donald Trump. Time and again, the Republican leader has borne the brunt of such incidents. When a US journalist asked Trump why such incidents happen to him, the two-time President said, “The people who make the biggest impact are the ones they go after. They don’t go after those who don’t do much.”
Back in July 2024, Trump was shot in his right ear during a poll rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight!” as he was moved off the stage by security. One person was killed in the incident.
Two months later, in September 2024, Trump was rushed to safety after a suspected gunman was spotted hiding in the bushes at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump, in his own words, was “safe and well.”
More recently, in February this year, an armed man was shot dead after entering the secure perimeter of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Trump was in Washington, DC, at the time.
With BBC inputs
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Reuters news agency that King Charles is being kept fully informed of developments and is greatly relieved to hear that President Trump and the First Lady have been unharmed.
World leaders continued to condemn the White House Dinner shooting incident. French President wrote in a post on X, "The armed attack targeting the President of the United States last night is unacceptable. Violence has no place in a democracy. I extend my full support to Donald Trump."
Condemning the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Venezuela President Delcy Rodríguez wrote on X, "We strongly condemn the attempted attack against President @realDonaldTrump and his wife, Melania Trump. We extend our best wishes to them and to all attendees of the Correspondent’s Dinner. Violence is never an option for those who uphold the values of peace."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “shocked by the attempted assassination” of US President Donald Trump at a gala dinner in Washington DC. He said that he was relieved that Trump and the first lady are “safe and strong,” and sends “wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the wounded police officer and salute the US Secret Service for their swift and decisive action.”
After Donald Trump and other cabinet members were rushed to safety following a shooting incident, the US Presdient interacted with the media. While answering a quation on what could be the motive behind the firing, he said, "No country is immune from political violence."
Today's shooting incident took place at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue - the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981.
That shooting took place on 30 March 1981, when the culprit, John Hinckley Jr, shot at Reagan as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement inside the hotel.
Reagan survived, but was seriously wounded by a bullet that ricocheted off the side of a presidential limousine and hit him in the torso, breaking a rib and puncturing one of his lungs. He was rushed to the nearby George Washington University Hospital, and was eventually released on 11 April.
Here’s a recap of what happened:
Donald Trump said the shooting at the White House press dinner would not deter him from the Iran war, although he believed the incident was unlikely linked to the conflict.
“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, I really don’t think so, based on what we know,” Trump told reporters at the White House after the incident.
But Trump had earlier said that “you never know” if it could be linked to the Iran war, and said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter who he described as a “lone wolf”.
PM Modi in a post on X, said, “Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel. I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned.”
Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel. I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 26, 2026
Christian Turner, the British ambassador to the United States, has just posted a "thank you" message for the US Secret Service.
Turner was at the event, as were other British embassy staffers.
"The @UKinUSA team attending tonight's White House Correspondents Dinner are grateful for the swift and professional response of the Secret Service," Turner wrote.
"We are thankful that the President and those in attendance were unharmed & our best wishes are with the injured officer," he added.
As we've reported, the guest list included numerous politicians, diplomats, celebrities and other prominent figures.
President Donald Trump was uninjured and other top White House officials were evacuated from an annual dinner of the White House correspondents association after an unspecified threat.
While he was speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room a bit ago, President Trump directed a personal thank you to Weijia Jiang - who was sitting in the front row asking questions and is president of the White House Correspondents Association, which puts on this event every year.
The hundred or so press in the room gave a quick round of applause. Mr Trump then joked she was going to give a "killer question".
In social media posts, dozens of Congress members from both sides of the aisle are sharing their gratitude that the president and First Lady are safe, thanking Secret Service members for their quick action, and condemning the violence.
"Thankful for the swift law enforcement action to protect everyone from gunfire at the White House Correspondents Dinner," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries writes, adding, "The violence and chaos in America must end".
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he and his wife were present at the dinner, and they're thankful no innocent people were harmed.
"We're grateful as always for the law enforcement and first responders who acted so quickly to bring the situation under control," Johnson says. "Praying for our country tonight."
While he was speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room a bit ago, President Trump directed a personal thank you to Weijia Jiang - who was sitting in the front row asking questions and is president of the White House Correspondents Association, which puts on this event every year.
The hundred or so press in the room gave a quick round of applause. Mr Trump then joked she was going to give a "killer question".
President Trump's briefing has ended but we will continue to bring a few more of his comments from the White House podium.
Meanwhile, we are tuning into a press conference with local authorities which has just begun.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says the agent who was shot is being treated at hospital, and the suspect is also in hospital being evaluated.
She says she's thankful to law enforcement, and all guests are safe.
There's no reason to believe anyone else was involved, she adds.
Moments before addressing the media in the press briefing room, Trump shared CCTV footage appearing to show the suspect running into the hotel ballroom.
The man runs past the security metal detectors as security agents draw their guns.
Trump also shared two photos appearing to show a shirtless man on the foyer floor with his hands behind his back, believed to be the suspected shooter.
It’s very unusual to see the first lady in the briefing room. This marks the first of the three known shooting incidents at events attended by the president where the First Lady was also present.
The president said she knew "right away" what was going on.
“That was very unexpected,” Trump begins, speaking from the White House briefing room. He is still wearing his tuxedo from the evening’s gala.
Trump is asked if he or authorities are sure that the suspect was a lone actor.
Trump says it's not his profession to know the answer, but there's great professionals in the room and outside working the case.
"My impression is he was a lone wolf whack job," Trump says of the suspect. "These are crazy people. These are crazy people, and they have to be dealt with."
Trump says he was all prepared to give his speech at the dinner before shots rung out.
"I was all set to really rip it, and I said to my people, 'this would be the most inappropriate speech ever made' if I said so."
But, he says, "I don't know if I could ever be as rough as I was going to be tonight".
For his speech at the rescheduled event, he says, "I'm going to be probably very nice. I'll be very boring the next time, but we're going to have a great event".
The president is now taking question from reporters.Trump says the event will be rescheduled for a later date adding that the experience was a traumatic experience for First Lady Melania Trump.
"We are not going to let anybody take over our society," he says.
The president says he initially didn't want to leave. "I fought like hell to stay," he says. But he was advice that it was protocol to leave because it was unclear if it was a lone shooter.
Donald Trump says this is not the first time in the last couple years that a Republican has been attacked by a "would-be-assassin".
He references two times someone sought to kill him before he was re-elected, including at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvannia, and another time while Trump was golfing in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump makes reference to the White House ball room under construction.
He says law enforcement have been wanting for a ball room for "150 years".
Tonight's shooting "is why we have all the attributes of what we're planning at the White House", the president says.
"We need levels of security that you've never seen before."
Washington DC police chief will speak soon.
Trump says that one Secret Service officer was shot from a very close distance in the incident, but saved by his bullet-proof vest.
"I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," Trump says. "He has very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him, and he's a very proud guy."
A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, Trump says, adding that he was taken down by "some very brave members" of the Secret Service.
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.
He says he shared it in the interest of transparency.
A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, Trump says, adding that he was taken down by "some very brave members" of the Secret Service.
Trump is at the podium with the homeland security secretary and the FBI director.
"This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was meant to unify," he says
Donald Trump has confirmed that an officer was shot at but will be fine as he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.
President Trump is now briefing reporters from the White House.
As we wait to hear from President Trump, the FBI has confirmed that a suspect is in custody after shots were fired at the hotel where White Correspondents Dinner was taking place.
Here is the full statement: "Quote MessageThe FBI Washington Field Office's National Capital Response Squad has responded to a shooting at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC The subject is in custody."
A number of lawmakers have posted statements on social media about tonight's dinner.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says he is "closely monitoring the unfolding situation at the White House Correspondents Dinner".
"I’m grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and am praying everyone remains safe," he says.
Republican Senator Rand Paul says: "Thank God the President and all of the attendees tonight are safe."
Republican Representative Nancy Mace says Americans should "pray for President Trump and for our country right now".
It was about 20:35 local time and we were sitting about 40ft from the stage. We were on table 95.
The main doors to the ballroom were ahead of me - maybe 100ft or so.
What we heard were some noises from that direction. It wasn’t clear what those noises were, but it was the low booming noise which is associated with automatic fire.
We don’t know if that was coming from the secret service, but we’re being told now by the White House pool that an armed man did try to get through the magnetometers at the entrance and was apprehended by the secret service and the law enforcement team.
We don’t know who he was or what state he’s in now.
The contingent on the stage were taken off immediately. I spoke to Robert F Kennedy just before the dinner. I asked him if he was looking forward to it, and he said ‘I’m really hungry, we should get on with it’.
He was one of those on the stage we understand was taken into a side room. -BBC
US President Donald Trump and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after after gunshots were heard. There did not immediately appear to be any injuries.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner by Secret Service agents on Saturday night after a man armed with a shotgun tried to breach security, officials said.
A man armed with a shotgun fired at a Secret Service agent, an FBI official told Reuters. The agent was hit in an area covered by protective gear and not harmed, the official said.
All federal officials, including Trump, were safe. About an hour after Trump was rushed from the event, he posted on Truth Social that a "shooter had been apprehended."
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
