What was supposed to be one of Washington’s most polished and glamorous annual nights turned into a scene of panic when gunfire erupted and the President of the United States was rushed away from the stage.
The 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, descended into chaos on Saturday evening after an armed man allegedly stormed a security checkpoint, forcing guests to dive for cover as Secret Service agents moved into emergency response mode.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were quickly escorted away during the commotion. Speaking later at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House, Trump admitted he did not immediately understand the severity of what had happened.
he told reporters.
Trump said neither he nor his team had received any prior warning about a possible threat.
“We wanted to stay tonight,”
he said, adding:
The incident reportedly began at around 8:35 p.m. ET, when shots were heard inside the hotel. Within moments, attendees were scrambling for safety while law enforcement rushed toward the source of the danger. Secret Service agents quickly reached the president and moved him, along with several Cabinet members, out of the room.
Among those who witnessed the frightening scene was CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, who was reportedly outside the ballroom when he saw the gunman open fire only a short distance away. Like many others, he took cover as officers swarmed the area.
One Secret Service agent was struck during the incident while wearing protective gear. The agent was taken to the hospital, though Trump later said he had spoken with them personally and that they were in “great shape,” crediting the bulletproof vest. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said no other injuries had been reported.
At 9:17 p.m., Trump posted his first public response on Truth Social, stating that the alleged gunman had been apprehended. Later, at 10:29 p.m., he shared footage that appeared to show the beginning of the shooting, along with an image of the suspect lying face-down on the ground with his hands behind his back.
By about 10:50 p.m., several US media outlets, including CBS, had identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from California.
