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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed off stage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington D.C. after shots reportedly broke out.
CNN reported that Donald, 79, Melania, 56, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt were “safe” after they were evacuated for security reasons.
“A suspect is in custody,” a Secret Service spokesperson told CNN.
A Secret Service spokesperson told the media that the shooting occurred near the “main magnetometer” at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. Per the Secret Service, the condition of the suspect is “unknown.”
Trump broke his silence via Truth Social, writing, “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, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
Guests take cover after an unknown safety event took place at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner on April 25. Nathan Howard/Getty Images
The network reported that Trump was rushed to “a safe location” but wanted to return to deliver remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was also moved to a safe location during the fracas, according to the White House Correspondents’ Association pool.
Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk was in attendance at the event as well and was reportedly seen crying after shots broke out, via CNN. (Erika’s husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, 2025. He was 31 years old.)
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin told reporters that he was tackled to the ground for his safety by Secret Service agents.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitz — who was present at the event — revealed on air that “very loud, very scary” gunshots were heard outside the main ballroom where the annual event took place.
Agents draw their guns after loud bangs were heard during the White House Correspondents’ dinner. Getty Images/Mandel NGAN / AFP
“Apparently they got the gunman … It was very, very scary,” Blitzer, 78, shared on air via phone. “It was just a terrible, scary, frightening moment for me. … The incident looks like it’s over.”
Blitzer added that he witnessed the shooter “on the ground” after being tackled by police. “I could be wrong,” he said later of whether or not the shooter was shot. “There’s a lot of law enforcement here dealing with this.”
Several minutes after the security incident, a spokesperson returned to the podium to announce that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner will continue.
“The program is going to resume shortly,” journalist and White House Correspondents’ President Weijia Jiang told those in the room. “We will have more details to share momentarily, but for now, please be patient.”
Charlie Kirk‘s cohosts returned to their podcast days after the 31-year-old’s death. During the Friday, September 12, episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, which is cohosted by Jack Posobiec, James O’Keefe and Kash Patel, an empty chair was shown as a way to honor Kirk. “Charlie would’ve wanted us to be here,” said one […]
Later, Jiang returned to the podium to announce, “Law enforcement has requested that we leave the premises. … [The president] wanted to emphasize that nobody was hurt. The cabinet and the first lady, everybody’s safe.”
“I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public service because when there is an emergency we run toward the crisis, not away from it … I saw all of you reporting and that’s what we do,” Jiang went on. “Thank God everybody is safe and thank you for coming together tonight.”
Trump was making the first appearance of his two presidencies at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, having skipped the event from 2017 to 2020 and again last year amid his ongoing attacks against the press — who he consistently refers to as “fake news.” While the event has traditionally been hosted by a comedian, mentalist and magician Oz Pearlman landed the job this year.
In July 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt when he was shot in the upper ear while delivering a campaign speech near Butler, Pennsylvania. Audience member Corey Comperatore was killed and two other attendees were severely injured.
Authorities reported that Thomas Crooks, 20, fired eight rounds from an AR-15–style rifle from a rooftop across from the rally before he was killed in crossfire with law enforcement on the scene.
