On Saturday night, former President Donald Trump confirmed that the individual responsible for the gunfire during the Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner had been detained. This incident led to a security breach that required the evacuation of the stage at the Washington Hilton in Washington D.C.
Shortly after the event, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, at 9:17 PM, stating, "What a night in D.C. The Secret Service and law enforcement did an outstanding job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been taken into custody."
In the same post, Trump suggested that the event should proceed: "I've advised that the show should go on, but I'll defer entirely to law enforcement. They'll make a swift decision."
The former President acknowledged that the evening's proceedings would not go as originally planned: "Regardless of that decision, the night will be very different from what we expected, and we'll simply have to do it again."
Initial reports from CBS News and CBS58 indicated the shots were fired outside or near the perimeter of the venue, and there were no injuries among the more than 2,000 attendees, who took cover under tables as the Secret Service responded.
Trump, alongside First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance, was evacuated from the stage.
A Break from Tradition
This incident occurred on a night of significant importance: it marked the first time Trump attended the Correspondents' Dinner as the sitting president, breaking his previous pattern of boycotting the event during his first term (2017-2021) and in 2025. His absence from the dinner was the longest for any president since Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
The Washington Hilton, where the dinner was held, holds historical significance regarding presidential security: it was the site where John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981.
Ongoing Security Threats
This latest incident adds to a series of security threats against Trump in recent months. In February, an armed man was shot by the Secret Service while attempting to breach the Mar-a-Lago perimeter. Months earlier, in September 2024, Ryan Routh pointed a rifle at a Secret Service agent near a golf club close to the same residence, a crime for which he received a life sentence.
Prior to the incident, Weijia Jiang, President of the White House Correspondents' Association, emphasized the dinner's significance, stating that it "reinforces the importance of the First Amendment in our democracy and serves as a reminder of what a free press means to this country."
Key Questions About the White House Correspondents' Dinner Incident
What actions were taken by the Secret Service during the incident?
The Secret Service acted quickly and bravely, managing to detain the shooter and ensure the safety of all attendees without any injuries reported.
Why was the Correspondents' Dinner significant for Trump this year?
This was the first time Trump attended the dinner as the sitting president, breaking his previous boycott of the event during his first term and in 2025.
Has the Washington Hilton been a site of previous security incidents?
Yes, the Washington Hilton is historically notable for being the location where John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981.