The president Donald Trump and the first wife Melania Trump both are safe following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC.
The president, the first lady, the White House press secretary are pregnant Caroline Leavitt and other officials were rushed out of the ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington DC when gunfire erupted on Saturday, April 25.
A Secret Service agent was shot during the altercation and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Law enforcement officials in Washington DC have confirmed that a 31-year-old California resident has been arrested and faces multiple charges after allegedly fleeing a security checkpoint.
During a press conference at the White House, Donald said he owes “a debt of gratitude to the courage of law enforcement” to the Washington Hilton for their quick response.
“That was very unexpected but it was done wonderfully by the Secret Service and law enforcement and this was a free speech event that had to be done in a certain way … because they just brought us together – a completely unified room,” Trump told reporters.
The Washington Hilton is the same place where the President Ronald Reagan and three law enforcement officers were shot on March 31, 1981, by John Hinckley Jr. (Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was kept in a mental institution for three decades.)
Keep scrolling for more information about what happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
What Happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
While the investigation is ongoing, as of publication, the Secret Service has confirmed that gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and agents near the “main magnetometer” at the Washington Hilton.
The president, first lady and other administration officials – including the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance – all released by the Secret Service.
The White House has released photos that purportedly show the suspect running past Secret Service agents at the hotel. The clip ended with the shirtless suspect in handcuffs, his face pressed to the ground, after being captured.
“A man opened the checkpoint armed with many weapons, and was taken out by brave members of the Secret Service,” confirmed the president.
Who Is the Suspected Shooter?
Law enforcement officials in Washington DC have confirmed that a 31-year-old California native has been arrested following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The cause and condition of the suspect are unknown, as of publication.
The suspect was charged with two counts of using a firearm and one count of assaulting a police officer using a dangerous weapon.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt promised that there would be gunfire at President Donald Trump’s speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner minutes before actual shots were fired at the rally. “[Trump] ready to be famous,” Leavitt, 28, told Fox News on the red carpet at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, April 25. “I’ll tell you, […]
Jeanine PirroThe US Attorney for the District of Columbia, said during a press conference on April 25 that more charges will be filed as the investigation continues.
In his press conference at the White House, Donald called the suspect “a very sick person.”
Was Anyone Injured at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
The president confirmed that the Secret Service was shot during the dispute. According to the Secret Service, the agent was hit by a bullet and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
“[He was] he was saved by the fact that he was wearing, of course, a very good bulletproof vest. The vest did the job,” Donald told reporters. “I just talked to this officer and he’s doing great, he’s in great shape, he’s in great shape and I told him we love him and respect him and he’s a proud guy, he’s very proud of what he does, a Secret Service agent.”
Did the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Go On After the Shooting?
The president first broke his silence in a statement on Truth Social, where he expressed his desire for the dinner to go ahead.
“One night the DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a great job. They worked quickly and bravely,” Donald wrote. “The shooter is in custody, and I’ve recommended ‘THE SHOSH GOES ON’ but, we’re going to be totally targeted by law enforcement. They’re going to make a decision soon. Whatever that decision is, the night is going to be a lot different than planned, and we’re going to, obviously, do it all over again.”
White House Press Secretary Weijia Jiang he spoke from inside the ball after a while to confirm that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days at Donald’s behest.
“The law enforcement officers have asked us to leave this place. … [The president] he wanted to emphasize that no one was hurt. The cabinet and the first lady, everyone is safe,” he explained.” “I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public duty because when there is an emergency we run away from this disaster, not away from it.”
Jiang continued, “I saw you all reporting and that’s what we’re doing. We thank God that everyone is safe and thank you for joining us tonight.”
What is Donald Trump saying about the WHCD Shooting?
Donald spoke to reporters late Saturday at the White House, where he said he was “honored” to be the victim after several attempts on his life in recent years. (The president survived being shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024. A separate shooting suspect was arrested at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.)
“If you look at our great presidents, [this] it does not happen to people who do nothing,” he said to the media.
Donald also shared how his wife Melania reacted to the sudden outbreak of violence at the star-studded show in Washington DC.
President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House.
Getty Images/Mandel NGAN/AFP“I want to thank the first wife, that was a painful thing for her,” she said.
Later in his briefing, Donald explained, “The truth is, we were sitting next to each other, the first lady to my right, and I heard a sound … I thought it was a tray sinking down and it was a very loud noise and it was coming from quite a distance. [The suspect] they had not reached the place at all. They did find him … but it was a gun. “
“Some people understood that very quickly, some people could not … I was watching what happened,” the president continued. “Melania was aware of what happened. I think she knew immediately what happened. She was saying, ‘That’s a bad sound.’ And we were fired. It was so fast … it was a matter of seconds before we were out the door.”
