United States President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated from the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner in Washington on Saturday night after a gunman charged a security checkpoint outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel, injuring a Secret Service officer and triggering one of the most dramatic security incidents at the event in its history.
The suspected gunman, identified by law enforcement as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, approached security personnel carrying a shotgun and was also found to be in possession of a handgun and multiple knives. A Secret Service officer struck during the exchange was saved by a bulletproof vest and was described as in good condition. Allen was taken into custody, was hospitalised for evaluation, and faces charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on federal officers. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the suspect appeared to have been targeting Trump administration officials.
Trump, attending the WHCA dinner for the first time as a sitting president, was rushed from the stage seconds after gunshots were heard near the entrance to the ballroom. First Lady Melania Trump and Cabinet members including Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel were also evacuated. All were confirmed safe. Trump held a press conference at the White House hours later, describing the suspect as “a very sick person” who had attacked the United States Constitution and pledging to reschedule the dinner.
By Sunday morning, Trump had used the incident to make a public case for a major security project he has championed since returning to office. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president argued the attack at the Washington Hilton, a privately operated venue, would never have occurred at the proposed new ballroom currently under construction on the grounds of the White House. Describing the facility as incorporating the highest levels of security and situated within the perimeter of the White House, he said it “cannot be built fast enough.” Trump also renewed his criticism of legal action challenging the project, dismissing the case as frivolous, and said construction remained on budget and substantially ahead of schedule.
World leaders swiftly condemned the attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that violence had no place in a democracy. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also expressed relief that Trump and those present were unharmed.
Saturday’s incident is the latest in a series of security threats directed at Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign. The Washington Hilton was also the site of the 1981 attempt on then-President Ronald Reagan’s life.
