President Donald Trump on Saturday night praised the Secret Service and law enforcement after an armed man charged a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, where the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner was being held. One officer was shot at close range but was saved by his bulletproof vest. The suspect, believed to be a California resident, was taken into custody.
“He was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service — they acted very quickly. One officer was shot, but the vest did the job.”
Trump said he personally called the injured officer, who he described as being in great spirits. Video of the incident was released shortly after on Truth Social and other platforms.
Trump, who was seated next to First Lady Melania Trump when the shooting occurred, said the two were rushed off stage within seconds. He credited Secret Service with a near-flawless response and directly compared it to the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally, killing one attendee and grazing Trump’s ear. Trump said tonight’s response was sharper, noting the suspect never came close to breaching the ballroom. He also referenced a second attempt months later in Palm Beach, Florida.
“Butler had one weak spot — somebody should have been up there,” Trump said. “Tonight, they had everything covered very quickly.”
Despite the chaos, Trump said the WHCA dinner brought together people from across the political spectrum and that the room unified in its aftermath.
“I saw a room that was just totally unified — Republicans, Democrats, independents. There was a tremendous amount of love and coming together.”
Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed charges are forthcoming, including counts tied to the shooting and firearms possession, and indicated prosecutors will pursue every applicable charge.
“There will be multiple charges around the shooting, around the possession of firearms, and anything else we can get on this guy,” Blanche said. “Justice will be served.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents have taken over the Evidence Response Unit on scene, are processing ballistics, including a recovered long gun and shell casings, and are actively interviewing witnesses. Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Trump said the suspect appeared to be a “lone wolf,” though officials stressed the investigation remains in its early stages. More details on the suspect’s background and possible motive are expected within 24 to 48 hours.
Trump closed by vowing to reschedule the dinner within 30 days.
“We’re not going to let anybody take over our society. We’re going to do it again… bigger and better.”
UPDATE: 11:49 PM SET: The shooter has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, two law enforcement officials told the AP.
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