President Donald Trump on Saturday posted CCTV footage and photos of a detained suspect after a shooting incident near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton. In a Truth Social post he outlined the sequence of events, saying an armed individual had attempted to force entry and was neutralized by security. He praised the Secret Service and other law-enforcement personnel for their rapid response and added that he recommended the event “LET THE SHOW GO ON,” while noting that law enforcement would decide whether the program should resume.
At a later briefing-room news conference, Trump said he had spoken with the security officer who was shot and credited the officer’s vest with saving his life. “A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” he said, adding that one officer was shot but is doing well.
Trump used the breach to press for expanded security measures and to promote plans for a new, larger White House ballroom he has proposed, saying features such as drone protection and bulletproof glass would justify additional Secret Service and military support for the project.
ANI reporter Reena Bhardwaj, who was inside the ballroom, described chaotic moments after a loud noise initially mistaken for clattering dishes. Attendees and staff dove for cover; servers tried to shield themselves and guests. The president was quickly ushered out and members of his Cabinet were later escorted away while security agents carrying long guns were visible on stage. Organizers told the audience the program might resume, though the association had not issued an official statement at the time of the report.
Earlier reports said suspected gunfire in the Hilton lobby prompted tactical teams to evacuate President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance to a secure location.
The incident follows a prior attack on Trump in July 2024, when he was shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service said a suspected shooter fired multiple shots from an elevated position; Trump was escorted offstage and was seen in widely shared footage with bleeding from his ear.
Trump’s release of the footage and suspect photographs comes amid ongoing law-enforcement activity and public attention on security at high-profile events.
