Loud bangs ripped through the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, sending guests diving for cover as Secret Service agents with guns drawn stormed the room, shouting, “Shots fired!”
The annual black-tie gathering was thrown into chaos as President Donald Trump and other top officials were rushed out under heavy security.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended,” Trump later wrote on Truth Social, adding that the first lady, the vice president, and all Cabinet members were “in perfect condition.”
The Secret Service said the shooting incident unfolded “near the main magnetometer screening area,” adding that one individual was in custody. Videos circulating online show a man lying on the floor under a foil blanket, with his hands tied behind his back.
The US president said he had recommended officials “LET THE SHOW GO ON,” but law enforcement had requested that everyone leave the premises “consistent with protocol.”
According to footage from the scene, the incident triggered a major security response and immediate chaos inside one of Washington’s most high-profile political and media gatherings.
One of the videos appeared to show Vice President J.D. Vance being hurried off the stage by Secret Service agents during the security scare.
The annual dinner, held by the White House Correspondents’ Association, had just begun, and Trump and first lady Melania Trump had arrived only shortly before the disruption unfolded, cutting short what would have been his first appearance at the event as president.
Trump said he would hold a press conference from the White House briefing room later on Saturday, while the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.