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26 Apr 2026, 01:29

Following an incident during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Donald Trump's Secret Service agents evacuated him from the event. Reports indicate that he and his wife are in good health.

At the same time, after reports of gunfire on one of the upper floors of the Washington Hilton hotel—where the event was held—the evacuation of the building began. A Fox News host stated that the sound of gunfire did not seem to have originated from the main hall of the event. So far, there have been no reports of injuries among the attendees. CNN also reported that members of the U.S. government are safe.

On Saturday night, May 5th, the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton turned into a scene of panic and chaos due to gunfire. As Donald Trump and his wife Melania had just entered the hall, the sound of several consecutive shots prompted Secret Service agents to quickly remove the President from the scene.

As senior officials, including J.D. Vance, Pete Hegseth, and Marco Rubio, were evacuated, armed special guard forces entered the hall fully equipped and took positions on stage. Video footage released from inside the hall shows journalists and prominent guests taking cover under tables amid shouts of "Get down on the ground!" Eyewitnesses reported hearing 5 to 8 shots near the CBS journalists' table.

Although initial reports indicate the arrest of a suspect, details about the shooter's exact motive and potential casualties have not yet been released. The White House stated that the President and his companions are well and have been moved to a safe location.

The shooting incident at the official journalists' dinner in Washington involving the U.S. President, which occurred on Saturday night, May 5th, ended with the arrest of the assailant, the wounding of a security officer, and the disruption of the event.

During Donald Trump's attendance at the annual media gala in Washington on Saturday evening, gunfire erupted. This was the first time Trump attended this dinner since becoming President in 2016.

The armed individual, later identified as Cole Thomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from California, was arrested at a security checkpoint just outside the hotel ballroom where hundreds of guests had gathered.

According to CNN, the assailant had entered the event as a guest, which was held at a hotel near the White House. As Donald Trump was quickly exiting the scene and security teams were moving through the invited guests at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, chaotic scenes unfolded, and people took cover under tables.

The incident occurred during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, following a welcome speech and at the beginning of dinner, before it was Trump's turn to speak.

It seems that Trump administration officials were evacuated first, and there is still ambiguity about what exactly happened. Initially, the organizers told guests that the White House Correspondents' Association dinner would continue despite the incident, but they later announced that the event had been postponed.

Update: The President of the United States confirmed moments ago that there was gunfire at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Mr. Trump wrote in a message on the social media platform Truth Social, "A special night in Washington D.C. The Secret Service and law enforcement did an outstanding job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended."

He stated, "I suggested that we let the event continue, but the decision will be entirely based on the judgment of law enforcement."

Mr. Trump added, "They will decide soon. Regardless of that decision, the night will be very different from what was planned, and we will have to reschedule it."

In another post, Trump stated: "Law enforcement, per protocol, has asked us to leave the venue, and we will do so immediately. I will hold a press conference in the White House briefing room in 30 minutes. The First Lady, along with the Vice President and all cabinet members, are in good health. We will talk to you in half an hour. I have spoken with all the representatives responsible for this event, and it will be rescheduled within the next 30 days."

President Donald J. Trump
realDonaldTrump

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