U.S. Secret Service agents respond near President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents Dinner, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Washington. —Alex Brandon—Associated Press
President Donald Trump was rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner on Saturday evening after gunshots were heard in the vicinity of the event.
Video of the incident at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C. showed Secret Service agents running onto the stage where the president was sitting, while many of the roughly 2,600 attendees took cover under their tables.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said he witnessed a gunman fire what he described as a “very serious weapon” at least six times from a few feet away.
Read more: ‘We Are Not Fake News’: Journalists Toast Freedom of the Press at Dinner
A TIME journalist attending the event said Secret Service agents ran through the crowd and appeared to take Trump Administration cabinet members to safety. After a few minutes, someone came on to the stage to tell the crowd that the event would resume shortly.
Trump said on Truth Social shortly after the incident that the shooter had been “apprehended” and praised law enforcement.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” he wrote. “The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly.”
The WHCA dinner is an annual event for White House staff and the press, typically featuring comedy and a satirical speech from the president.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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