Trump press conference and response to gunfire at correspondents’ dinner
President Donald Trump held a news conference at the White House about an hour after he and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated after gunfire erupted during the White House Correspondents Dinner, held at the Washington Hilton.
“That was unexpected,” Trump began from the White House Briefing Room, praising what he called the quick work of the Secret Service and law enforcement during “an event dedicated to freedom of speech that would bring together members of both parties and members of the press.”
He described the chaotic scene and thanked law enforcement for their quick response.
He praised the guests in attendance, describing it as a “record-breaking crowd,” and described the response to the attack as a rare moment of political unity.
“And in a sense it did, because of the fact that they just united,” Trump said. “I saw a room that was completely at one. It was very beautiful in a way, very beautiful to see a man storm a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons. He was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service, and they acted very quickly.”
The president said he had given the order images of the incident released on Truth Social and other platforms “for the purpose of transparency and clarity,” with the promise that the tape would show “how quickly the Secret Service and law enforcement acted on behalf of our country.”
Trump confirmed reports that one officer was shot during the attack but survived thanks to his protective equipment.
“He was shot at very close range with a very powerful weapon, and the vest did its job,” the president told reporters. “I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing great. He’s very cheerful and we told him we love and respect him, and he’s a very proud man.”
Trump used the moment to backtrack on his long-standing push to build a new White House ballroom, arguing that the Hilton “is not a particularly safe building.”
“This is why we need to have all the hallmarks of what we’re planning in the White House,” Trump said. “It’s actually a bigger space, and it’s much more secure. It’s drone-proof, it’s bulletproof glass. That’s why the Secret Service, that’s why the military requires this. They’ve wanted the ballroom for 150 years for a lot of different reasons. But today it’s a little bit different, because today we need a level of security that probably no one has ever seen before.”
Trump called on Americans to resolve their differences. “In light of tonight’s events, I ask this
that all Americans reconnect with their hearts… we must resolve our differences peacefully. I will say you have Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives. Those words might be interchangeable, but they might not.”
The president linked Saturday night’s incident to his two previous assassination attempts against him during the 2024 campaign.
“This is not the first time in the past few years that our republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin who attempted to kill less than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania.” Trump also cited the September 2024 incident at his golf club in Palm Beach, Florida. “We’ve done a great job by law enforcement.”
“It’s a dangerous job,” Trump said. “I can’t imagine any profession being more dangerous, but I love the country.”
After Trump spoke, he passed the microphone to Todd Blanche, the acting U.S. attorney general, and Kash Patel, the director of the FBI.
“The man has been captured,” Trump said before stepping aside. “They go to his apartment. I think he lives in California, and he’s a sick person, a very sick person. And we don’t want this kind of thing to happen.”
The president also promised that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days. “I fought very hard” not to cancel the event, he said. He also thanked the media, an unusual position for a president who has spent much of his presidency escalating attacks on the press. “We’re going to do it again. We’re not going to let anyone take over our society. We’re not going to cancel things because we can’t do that.”
Trump also showed gratitude to the media, a rare show of praise. “They have been very responsible in your reporting.”
The suspected shooter was arrested, the FBI said in a statement.
“My impression is that he was a lone wolf; a crazy person.”
Shortly after 9 p.m. ET, Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, told the crowd that the program would go ahead despite the commotion and Trump’s quick departure. However, at 9:20 PM ET it became clear that security was clearing the ballroom, indicating that the event had been formally scrapped.
The situation prompted immediate reporting on the ground from journalists across the media spectrum, many of whom took to social media to provide urgent updates. Among the government officials in attendance were Vice President J.D. Vance; Deputy White House Chief Policy Officer Stephen Miller; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; and Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk.
Trump has had a contentious relationship with mainstream journalists since his political rise in 2015. Since returning to the White House, his administration has aggressively challenged journalistic standards, and the president has continued to attack the integrity and competence of major news organizations. Trump is also involved in lawsuits against ABC News, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal and others.
