WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump remained unharmed Saturday evening after gunfire erupted outside the ballroom during the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner, forcing the evacuation of the president and other high-ranking officials. Law enforcement quickly apprehended the gunman, and no injuries were reported from the incident.
The shooting took place outside the dining hall where Trump and hundreds of guests had gathered for the traditional media event. The dinner has been canceled and organizers plan to reschedule within the coming month.
Federal Bureau of Investigation officials confirmed the suspect is now in custody, with the agency’s Washington field office leading the response to the shooting incident.
Trump announced through his Truth Social platform that he would deliver remarks from the White House later in the evening.
News organizations are continuing to gather comprehensive details about the shooting through witness interviews, official sources, and law enforcement briefings.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who attended the dinner with his spouse Kelly, expressed gratitude for the rapid response by law enforcement and emergency personnel who “acted so quickly to bring the situation under control.”
“Praying for our country tonight,” Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, wrote on social media.
The House Republican caucus posted “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT” on the X social platform, adding: “House Republicans unite in praying for those who were in harm’s way.”
Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed appreciation for the “swift law enforcement action to protect everyone” at the dinner while calling for an end to violence.
“The violence and chaos in America must end,” stated Jeffries, representing New York.
CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, who serves as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, spoke to the packed room of media professionals after the president departed.
Jiang announced that the president would conduct a press conference at the White House shortly and had requested the dinner be rescheduled within 30 days. She noted that Trump wanted to continue the event but was required to follow security procedures.
Jiang, who was seated beside Trump on the main platform when the incident occurred, highlighted journalism’s public service mission, stating that “when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it.”
“On a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are,” she remarked. “Thank God everybody is safe and thank you for coming together tonight. We’ll do this again.”
The FBI confirmed the gunman’s arrest and said its Washington field office is handling the investigation.
Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department issued a social media statement confirming officers were on scene working alongside federal law enforcement agencies.
“We will provide updated information once confirmed,” the department announced.
Guests were enjoying their spring pea and burrata appetizer course, with servers preparing to deliver the main course, when security personnel rushed into the ballroom shouting for everyone to take cover. Formally dressed journalists dropped to the floor near tables as wine spilled across white linens and glassware clattered in the scramble for safety.
Armed security forces burst through the ballroom entrance and rushed toward the head table where Trump was seated as attendees crouched beneath tables. During the chaos, someone in the room called out, “USA!”
Approximately 30 minutes after the security incident, Trump posted on Truth Social that a “shooter has been apprehended.”
Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance were unharmed during the incident.
Event organizers initially announced there would be an “announcement shortly, we will be resuming shortly” from the stage. Most guests remained locked inside the ballroom and were not permitted to exit.
One block from the White House, people heading to parties at the Renwick Museum found themselves stopped at police barriers as streets and walkways were cordoned off. Police vehicles raced through the area with sirens wailing while a helicopter circled overhead.
Typically, the Hilton hotel, which has hosted the dinner for many years, stays open to regular guests during the White House Correspondents Dinner. Security has traditionally focused on the ballroom area rather than the entire hotel, with minimal screening for those not attending the dinner.
In previous years, this arrangement has led to disruptions in the lobby and other public areas, including protests where security removed individuals who displayed banners or staged demonstrations.
The banquet facility, filled with hundreds of prominent media figures, celebrities and government leaders awaiting Trump’s address, was immediately cleared. National Guard members positioned themselves throughout the building as people were permitted to leave but not return. Security measures outside were extremely stringent.
Details about what transpired remained unclear. A law enforcement source verified there was a shooter but provided no additional information.
Former prosecutor and current media personality Jeanine Pirro shared a brief video from the hotel following the incident, stating: “I have been taken out of the ballroom after the sound of the shots fired. The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel. I just spoke to Mayor Muriel Bowser. She is on her way, and (Police) Chief Jeffery Carroll is on his way. He will be in charge as soon as he gets here.”
