President Trump evacuated from DC press dinner after shots fired
Secret Service evacuates President Trump from Washington Hilton after gunfire erupts during White House Correspondents Dinner.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump was safely evacuated from the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night after shots were fired near the security screening area, according to the Secret Service.
One suspect is in custody following the incident, which occurred near the main magnetometer screening area during the annual dinner attended by government officials and members of the media. The president and first lady were unharmed.
Secret Service Response
Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman, confirmed the incident in a social media statement. “The president and first lady are safe along with all protectees,” he said. “One individual is in custody.”
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump would deliver a statement from the White House briefing room later Saturday evening. The president himself posted on his Truth Social platform that he was in “perfect condition.”
Eyewitness Accounts
Media personnel at the scene described a chaotic evacuation. An initial press pool report stated, “There was several loud bangs and the Secret Service with guns drawn rushed the pool out of the room. Secret Service pushed us back screaming ‘Shots fired.'”
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer reported hearing “a really loud blasting away” before being pushed to the floor by police. Jacqui Heinrich of Fox News said on social media shortly after 9 p.m. Eastern that she was behind the podium with other guests “in a hold,” and that Trump was still down the hall and did not want to leave.
President’s Statement
Trump confirmed the incident on Truth Social, praising law enforcement’s response. “Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” he wrote. “They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement.”
The president added that regardless of whether the event continued, “the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
The White House Correspondents Dinner is an annual event that brings together government officials, journalists, and celebrities. The incident marks a significant security breach at one of Washington’s most high-profile media events.
Details about the suspect and motive were not immediately available. The investigation is ongoing, according to Tennessee Lookout.
