U.S. President Donald Trump was hurried off stage by Secret Service agents on Saturday evening after gunfire erupted during a high-profile media gala in Washington, in what he later described as an attempted assassination.
The dramatic security breach occurred during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner held at the Washington Hilton, where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior government officials, and hundreds of guests had gathered for the black-tie event.
According to reports, chaos broke out when an armed man charged through a security checkpoint just outside the ballroom, prompting armed guards and Secret Service officers to open fire.
Guests reportedly dived under tables as security operatives rushed into action and tactical teams stormed the venue to secure the president and other top officials.
Speaking shortly after the incident at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House, Trump confirmed that the suspect had been stopped by Secret Service officers.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” Trump said.
The president described the suspect as likely acting alone.
“They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,” he added, after posting a video showing the suspect running past security as guards drew their weapons.
The suspect was immediately detained at the scene.
Trump also disclosed that one Secret Service officer was shot at close range during the exchange but was not critically injured.
He noted that he initially mistook the gunfire for the sound of a dropped serving tray before realizing the venue was under attack.
The president, however, said he still intends to reschedule the event within a month despite the scare.
City officials said the suspect appeared to have been a guest at the hotel and was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives.
Washington Police Chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed that law enforcement officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect during the confrontation.
“Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the individual,” Carroll told reporters.
“A US Secret Service uniformed division officer was struck in his vest. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He appears to be in good spirits,” he added.
Trump further revealed that investigators had moved to search the suspect’s apartment, saying authorities believed he lived in California.
FBI agents were later seen outside a residence in Torrance, California, while police cordoned off the area.
Several U.S. media outlets identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance in Los Angeles County, although the FBI declined to officially confirm his identity.
The security breach happened shortly after the welcome speech and during dinner, before Trump was scheduled to address the gathering.
Cabinet members were quickly evacuated as confusion spread across the ballroom.
One administration official, Mehmet Oz, was heard telling journalists, “Shots fired upstairs,” as security rushed him out.
Saturday’s incident marks another major security scare involving Trump, who survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, where a gunman opened fire, killing one audience member and grazing Trump’s ear.
Months later, another suspect was arrested near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle hidden in nearby bushes.
Ironically, the Washington Hilton also holds historical significance as the location where former President Ronald Reagan was shot in an assassination attempt in 1981.
The White House Correspondents’ Association had invited Trump to this year’s event despite his frequent criticism of the media.
Often referred to as the “Nerd Prom,” the annual gala brings together journalists, politicians, and Washington elites to raise funds for scholarships and journalism awards.
