A dramatic new video has emerged showing law enforcement officers with guns drawn searching for a shooter, yelling “We have one down,” as panic and confusion erupted after gunshots were heard at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump was uninjured, and other top U.S. leaders were evacuated from the annual dinner on Saturday night, April 25, after an unspecified threat. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but a law enforcement official confirmed a shooter had opened fire outside the ballroom where Trump and other guests were seated.
Trump Rushed Off Stage After Shots Fired
Authorities said the incident occurred outside the ballroom. The event was canceled and will be rescheduled. “We will do this again,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association. Shortly afterward, staff began dismantling table settings and the presidential lectern.
The Secret Service and other agencies swarmed the banquet hall at the Washington Hilton as hundreds of guests ducked under tables. Audible gasps echoed through the ballroom as attendees realized something was happening. Journalists immediately began calling in reports.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled, while others shouted to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as Trump was escorted off stage. He briefly fell, apparently tripping, and was helped up by Secret Service agents.
A law enforcement official confirmed a shooter. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but is expected to recover, according to a law enforcement source speaking to The Associated Press.
Witnesses Report Multiple Shots
Some in the crowd reported hearing five to eight shots. The banquet hall, filled with hundreds of prominent journalists, celebrities, and national leaders awaiting Trump’s remarks, was immediately evacuated. National Guard members took positions inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not re-enter. Security outside was extremely tight.
Attendees included Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other administration leaders. Outside the hotel, National Guard members and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
The Hilton hotel, which has hosted the dinner for years, typically remains open to regular guests during the event. Security has historically focused on the ballroom, with little screening for those not entering the dinner itself. In past years, this has allowed disruptions in the lobby and other public spaces, including protests.
Official Responses
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro posted a short video from the hotel after the incident, saying: “I have been taken out of the ballroom after the sound of the shots fired. The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel. I just spoke to Mayor Muriel Bowser. She is on her way, and Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll is on his way. He will be in charge as soon as he gets here.”
Trump’s First Attendance as President
Trump’s attendance at the annual dinner marked his first as president, putting his administration’s often-contentious relationship with the press on public display. He arrived to an event where leaders mingled with celebrities, journalists, and even a puppet, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. The dinner typically generates debate about whether journalists and their sources should socialize together.
Trump was closely watched at the event held by the organization of reporters who cover him. Past presidents have generally spoken about free speech and the First Amendment, adding light roasts about journalists. Trump did not attend during his first term or the first year of his second. He came as a guest in 2011, sitting in the audience as President Barack Obama made jokes about the New York real estate developer. Trump also attended as a private citizen in 2015.
Trump entered the subterranean banquet hall to the strains of “Hail to the Chief” and greeted prominent journalists on the dais, pausing to laud White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt with a cheerful point of his finger. Past dinners have featured comedians who poke at presidents; this year, the group hired mentalist Oz Pearlman as the featured entertainment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
