President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington by Secret Service agents after a man opened fire on security nearby. The assailant, armed with a shotgun, targeted a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint in the Washington Hilton before being subdued and arrested. Trump reported that the agent was saved by his bulletproof vest and was in “good shape,” and a Secret Service spokesperson confirmed the agent’s release from the hospital.
While it was unclear if Trump was the attack’s target, the president expressed his belief that he was. He has survived two prior assassination attempts since 2024, set against a backdrop of increasing political division in the U. S. The assailant was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California resident, whose background remains largely unknown, although social media posts indicated he was a teacher in Torrance.
Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll stated that Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives, and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Authorities were still investigating his motives. Initial reports suggest that Allen was a guest at the hotel, which raised significant security concerns for the many top U. S. officials present at the event.
The incident occurred around 8:35 p.m. (0035 GMT on Sunday), prompting questions about how the gunman managed to bring a shotgun into the venue hosting the annual dinner. This black-tie event had high security and was the first attended by Trump as president, after he had boycotted previous events.
Following the evacuation, Trump held a late-night press conference flanked by Vice President JD Vance and cabinet members, while Melania Trump chose not to comment on the night’s events. The dinner also recalled a historical assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan outside the same hotel in 1981.
Closed-circuit TV footage showed the suspect moving quickly through security checkpoints before being subdued. Guests reacted to the noise of gunfire by screaming and taking cover, while security personnel responded forcefully. During the chaos, some attendees began chanting “USA, USA! ” after learning of the situation.
Trump reportedly remained backstage for about an hour before expressing a desire to stay at the event, reminiscent of his reaction after surviving a previous assassination attempt in 2024, where he was wounded. Following that incident, another alleged assassination attempt occurred just months later at a golf course in Florida, confirming the ongoing threat to Trump’s safety.
With information from Reuters
