Gunfire broke out at the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., at around 8:30 p.m. Eastern on April 25. The incident began just as WHCA president Weijia Jiang started her remarks, when witnesses heard four to six shots coming from a hallway outside the ballroom, bringing the room to an immediate standstill.
According to accounts cited in the source report, Secret Service agents reacted within seconds, rushing toward President Donald Trump, forming a protective shield, and moving him toward a backstage area. First Lady Melania Trump was also evacuated by a separate security team. While the scene was briefly chaotic, witnesses said it did not descend into full panic.
Shots Reportedly Came From Near Security Screening
Multiple eyewitnesses said the gunfire appeared to come from a corridor near the metal detector screening area outside the banquet hall. Initial reports at the scene suggested the gunman had been killed, but a later update in the source stated that the suspect was confirmed to have been arrested. As of publication in the original report, the Secret Service had not released a formal statement on the suspect's identity or motive, and the investigation remained ongoing.
Journalists at the venue described the atmosphere as highly tense even 10 minutes after the shots stopped. Some guests got up from the floor and chose to leave, while others gathered in the hallway waiting for more information. The annual WHCA dinner is considered a major fixture on Washington's political and media calendar, and this year's event had drawn additional attention as Trump's first appearance after returning to the White House.
Trump Says Dinner Could Continue After Security Check
Following the incident, Trump posted on Truth Social that the suspect had been arrested and thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement officers for their response. He also said the dinner should continue once authorities confirmed the venue was secure. Beyond that post, the original report said no additional official White House statement had been issued at that time.