US Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump off stage on Saturday evening after shots rang out during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton.
The incident unfolded as hundreds of black‑tie guests, including First Lady Melania Trump and senior officials, gathered for the annual gala.
Armed guards opened fire on a gunman who charged through a security checkpoint outside the ballroom.
“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 told reporters at a late‑night press conference.
Chaos At The Washington Hilton
Guests dived under tables as Secret Service teams swarmed the venue. Tactical units took positions on stage before Trump was evacuated. Cabinet members were escorted out first as helicopters hovered overhead.
Trump said he initially thought the noise was a tray being dropped before realising it was gunfire. He confirmed one officer was shot at close range but was not critically injured. “They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,” he added.
Washington police chief Jeffery Carroll said: “Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the individual. 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.”
City officials revealed the suspect, who will be arraigned Monday, was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. He appeared to have been a guest at the hotel.
Suspect Identified In California
Trump told reporters authorities had gone to the suspect’s apartment. FBI agents were later seen outside a residence in Torrance, California.
Multiple outlets identified the suspect as 31‑year‑old Cole Tomas Allen, a mechanical engineer and computer scientist. A LinkedIn profile under his name matched photos shared by Trump.
The Washington Hilton has historic significance. It was the site of the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Trump himself has survived previous attempts, including a 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was lightly wounded in the ear, and another incident at his West Palm Beach golf course.
The gala, often dubbed “Nerd Prom,” traditionally features jokes about the president.
This year, no comedian was booked. Trump had never attended the event while in office but accepted the invitation in 2026 despite his frequent clashes with the media.
He was later reported to have said, “If I knew this job was this dangerous, perhaps I wouldn’t have run“.
This is the third time an attempt has been made on the life of the president since coming into office for the first time in 2016.
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