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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were hurried out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner by Secret Service agents late Saturday night following a loud, unidentified sound. Other officials from the Trump administration who were attending the event were also evacuated after a commotion near the hotel ballroom where the dinner was taking place.
Guests immediately fell silent, and screams of “Get down, get down!” erupted across the room. Hundreds of attendees quickly ducked under tables as security personnel in tactical gear rushed into the dining area. Trump and Melania had crouched behind the dais prior to being swiftly escorted out by Secret Service agents.
Many of the 2,600 dinner guests sought shelter, while wait staff hurried to the front of the dining hall. Moments before leaving the stage under security escort, Melania appeared to react to something in the crowd, showing a worried expression during a live broadcast on CSPAN.
Earlier, Russian media reported that a shooting incident at the dinner resulted in a suspect being shot and killed by security forces after opening fire, claiming multiple rounds had been discharged before the suspect was neutralized. Nonetheless, President Trump, through a post on Truth Social, commended the quick response of security agencies, confirmed that a suspect had been detained, and praised their bravery.
“An evening to remember in D.C. — Secret Service and law enforcement responded brilliantly. They acted swiftly and courageously,” he wrote. He added that the shooter had been apprehended and that he had recommended continuing the event, although authorities would ultimately decide whether to proceed. He indicated the evening would be “significantly different than planned” and might require rescheduling.
Eyewitnesses described law enforcement swarming the Washington Hilton Hotel where the dinner was held, with helicopters circling overhead. Major US news outlets confirmed that Trump was unharmed. A pool report echoed that a suspect was in custody, citing the Secret Service, though this has not been officially confirmed. Unverified reports mentioned that one person may have been injured, but specifics remain unclear.
The incident occurred before Trump was scheduled to speak, during the dinner following the introductory speech. Officials from the Trump administration were reportedly evacuated first, with ongoing uncertainty about the details of what transpired. In one account, a cabinet member, Mehmet Oz, indicated “shots fired upstairs” as he was hurried out by security.
Trump had previously faced an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024, when a gunman shot and killed a rally attendee and grazed Trump’s ear. A few months later, another individual was detained after a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel protruding from bushes near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach.
The Washington Hilton, site of Saturday’s event, is also infamous for the attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life in 1981. Despite the chaos, organizers announced that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner would go on. Trump attended this event for the first time in his presidency.
The WHCA invited Trump despite his ongoing criticism of the media, sparking backlash from journalists who appealed for accountability regarding his restrictions on press freedoms. Unlike other presidents of the last century, Trump had never attended the dinner in office—until now. The event, popularly called “Nerd Prom,” gathers hundreds of journalists and media leaders to raise funds for scholarships and awards.
In a separate incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was grazed on the right ear when a shooter opened fire from a rooftop during a campaign rally on July 13, killing a bystander and lightly wounding him. The shooter, Thomas Crooks, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper.
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