PTI
Washington, Updated At: 09:05 AM Apr 27, 2026 IST
US President Donald Trump said he wanted to see what was happening when Secret Service agents hurried him out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel.
In a CBS ‘60 Minutes’ interview, Trump described the chaotic moments after shots were fired one floor above the basement-level ballroom where the event was underway. “I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he said when asked about concerns for possible injuries.
Trump said his curiosity about the situation likely slowed the Secret Service’s attempts to move him to safety. “I wanted to see what was happening. I wasn’t making it that easy for them. I wanted to see what was going on. And by that time we started to realise maybe it was a bad problem, different kind of problem, a bad one and different than what would be normal noise from a ballroom,” he said.
He recalled resisting hurriedly leaving, telling agents “Wait a minute, wait a minute,” and being told repeatedly to go down on the floor as they exited the stage. “I started walking. And they said, ‘Please go down, please go down on the floor.’ So I went down and the first lady went down also,” he said.
The interview grew tense when Trump was asked about references to him in a manifesto the suspect shared with family before the attack. “I was waiting for you to read that, because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people,” Trump told the interviewer. “Yeah, he did write that, I’m not a rapist. I read the manifesto. You know, he’s a sick person. You shouldn’t be reading that on 60 Minutes, you’re a disgrace, but go ahead, let’s finish the interview.”
Asked whether the shooter meant him specifically, Trump said: “I’m not a pedophile…You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with all stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated.”
Trump urged the White House Correspondents’ Association to reschedule the event within 30 days, saying he did not want it cancelled and arguing it would be wrong for “a crazy person” to force its cancellation. He added that attending was not about his desire to go, noting he is very busy and does not need the event.
