On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted an image on Instagram, taken in the Oval Office of the White House, with the simple caption "Last night." This came just hours after he, along with President Donald Trump and other top officials, were evacuated during a shooting incident that disrupted the White House Correspondents' Annual Dinner.
The unsettling event took place on Saturday at 8:36 p.m. at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington D.C., where over 2,000 attendees had gathered for the occasion. The assailant, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California, stormed into the hotel’s security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives, firing between five to eight shots.
The Secret Service acted swiftly, subduing and arresting Allen in the lobby before he could enter the main ballroom, thus preventing a potentially devastating tragedy. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, although one agent sustained a minor injury that was mitigated by his bulletproof vest.
President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members, including Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Kash Patel, were among those evacuated.
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to confirm the arrest that same night, praising the Secret Service and law enforcement for their outstanding and courageous response. "The shooter has been apprehended," he declared.
During an emergency press briefing held in the early hours from the White House, the President commended the Secret Service and described the suspect as a "sick individual," adding with a touch of irony, "No one told me this job was so dangerous."
A manifesto attributed to Allen, accessed by the New York Post and confirmed by FBI sources, revealed that the attacker referred to himself as the "Friendly Federal Assassin," targeting members of the Trump administration, with a particular focus on high-ranking officials, "probably including the President," as stated by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt condemned the act as an assassination attempt against Trump and senior officials, calling for an end to "political violence." Trump, meanwhile, announced on Truth Social plans to expedite the construction of a secure event hall at the White House and rescheduled the correspondents' dinner in 30 days.
Rubio's image in the Oval Office—an emblem of American executive power—was perceived as a message of institutional resilience and strength in the face of the attack. Saturday’s incident marks the third attack on Trump within a year, heightening concerns over the safety of the President and his cabinet.
Allen has been released from the hospital and is now in the custody of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C., with a court hearing set for this Monday.
Key Details on the White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting
What happened at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
A shooting incident occurred at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' Dinner, leading to the evacuation of President Trump and other officials.
Who was the shooter, and what were his intentions?
The shooter was Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California, who intended to target members of the Trump administration, including possibly the President.
How did the Secret Service respond to the threat?
The Secret Service quickly neutralized and arrested the shooter in the hotel lobby, preventing him from accessing the main event area and averting a major tragedy.
What steps is President Trump taking in response to the incident?
President Trump announced plans to build a secure event hall at the White House and has rescheduled the correspondents' dinner for 30 days later.