Trump evacuated after shooting at White House correspondents’ dinner, suspect in custody

On April 25, Secret Service members in Washington, D.C., apprehended a shooter who attempted an attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, which President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance were attending. 

Many have called the attack the third assasination attempt on Trump. 

Gunshots rang out in the lobby of the Washington Hilton ballroom, prompting event attendees in the venue to take cover, according to reports. FOX News reports that as panic reverberated through the venue, the President and his wife were quickly escorted out of the ballroom. Vance was also evacuated. The outlet added that according to sources, the suspect did not make it into the ballroom itself. The outlet reports that the gunman entered the hotel and “rushed past a magnetometer and opened fire, striking a Secret Service agent in the vest,” before being neutralized by security. 

In an April 25 Truth Social post, Trump praised law enforcement and Secret Service members for acting “quickly and bravely” and confirmed that Melania, Vice President JD Vance, and all cabinet members were safe following the evacuation. He also posted a video of security footage depicting the moment the suspect charged through the security checkpoint. 

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116468650367386223

He subsequently posted a photo of the suspect face down on the ground in custody. 

Later in the evening, the President gave an address from the White House briefing room, where he provided further details of the attack and its impact on those gathered. 

“This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press,” Trump said. “And in a certain way, it did, because the fact that they just unified us to a room that was just totally unified, it was, in one way, very beautiful, a very beautiful thing to see.”

Trump said the suspect “charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service, and they acted very quickly.” One officer was shot “from very close distance with a very powerful gun” but was protected by his bulletproof vest, Trump said. The President said he had just spoken with the officer, who he said was in “very high spirits.” 

“We told him we love him and respect him,” Trump said. 

The President said he had directed for the footage of the attack to be made public for transparency, adding that the footage shows “the violence of this thug that attacked our Constitution and also [shows] how quickly Secret Service and law enforcement acted on our country’s behalf.”

Trump noted the hotel “is not a particularly secure building,” and argued that this incident underscores the importance of building the White House ballroom. He argued that an official ballroom designed with bulletproof glass and drone-proof protections could ensure greater security.

He said that such a ballroom, which the Secret Service and military have been requesting for years, is especially necessary now, stating that “today we need levels of security that probably nobody’s ever seen before.” 

Trump had said on Truth Social that the dinner would be rescheduled in 30 days, and reiterated in his address that the future event will be “bigger and better and even nicer.”

“We’re not going to let anybody take over our society. We’re not going to cancel things out,” he said. 

“This is not the first time in the past couple of years that our Republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin who sought to kill,” Trump also said, recalling the Butler, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Florida, attacks in 2025. 

“In light of this evening's events I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our difference peacefully,” he said.

Reports say suspect has been identified

According to ABC News, the suspected shooter has been identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.

The DC Police Department posted in an April 26 update that the suspect is believed to have acted alone and that security has recovered “two firearms and multiple knives.”

In a press briefing after the attack, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said charges are set to be filed soon, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

“The charges should be self-evident given the conduct,” Blanche said, according to FOX News. “But as you'll hear, there will be multiple charges surrounding the shooting, around the possession of firearms and anything else that we can get on this guy.”

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt joined many political leaders and public figures in describing the attack as a shock.

“America does not solve its problems through violence; the highest ideals push us to reconcile in open debate and through political action,” Reinhardt said. “Tonight’s assassination attempt is yet another reminder that political violence by the left is circumventing these ideals. Still, providence continues to protect President Trump. CatholicVote thanks God for that, as do I. Hate should not have the final word.”

Reinhardt also noted the need for greater security, calling on elected officials to respond adequately to the deadly threats.

“It is also immediately clear that Congress must take responsibility for securing the nation against this threat: DHS needs to be fully funded, as does the Secret Service,” she concluded. “The President also made a compelling case for the construction of the White House ballroom. That is now a national security issue and should be treated as such in the courts.”

This is a developing story.