After the gunshots, JD Vance was first pulled off stage, then Trump and the first lady; a ‘U.S.A.’ chant was started but hushed

(SeaPRwire) –   The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner ranks among Washington’s long-standing—though slightly uncomfortable—traditions.

The room carries an inherent sense of tension, as journalists in elegant attire share refreshments and meals with many of the people they report on. This friction was particularly noticeable this year, given President Donald Trump’s frequently adversarial relationship with the press.

That tradition was completely disrupted Saturday evening when an armed individual rushed the venue, attempting to get into the hotel ballroom where Trump and Cabinet members were gathered. They were safely evacuated without injury, while the 2,300 attendees took cover amid gasps, chaos, broken dishes, and spilled wine.

Was that a gunshot? Trump thought. Or had a waiter dropped a tray? “I was hoping it was a tray,” Trump stated. “But it wasn’t.”

Oz Pearlman, the mentalist hired to entertain the crowd that night, was doing a magic trick for Trump on stage when shots were fired outside the ballroom, he told The Associated Press—an outlet that had 24 reporters present.

As president, Trump had skipped prior dinners. Going into this year’s event, it was clear he had points to make about the media coverage he appears to despise, even though it keeps him in the public eye. “I was really ready to tear into it,” he later said at the White House.

During pre-dinner cocktail hours, guests guessed which individuals would draw Trump’s anger and whether he would stay for the journalism award presentations—including one for Wall Street Journal reporters who exposed Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced sex trafficker.

These thoughts were on many people’s minds as the audience began eating spring pea and burrata salad, while waitstaff got ready to serve a main dish featuring prime chateaubriand and Maine lobster.

A shout of ‘shots fired’

The mood then shifted dramatically and fearfully.

Guests sitting nearest the doors reacted first when security personnel yelled “Shots fired.” Attendees ducked under tables and chairs, knocking over tableware.

“I heard a pop, but we didn’t know what the hell it was,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. “And then you heard all sorts of things clatter. Then the Secret Service and every detail came flooding in and everybody went down. I took a knee. … I didn’t go under the table.”

The chaos spread like a wave toward the stage. For a short time, Trump seemed to be watching the disorder unfold before his security team quickly escorted him away.

According to Trump, his wife “knew immediately what was going on,” but he didn’t. Melania Trump told him “that’s a bad sound,” he recalled later.

Near the stage, the gunshots couldn’t be instantly identified amid the noise. Heavily armed Secret Service agents swarmed the stage, and a large group of law enforcement officers and National Guard members arrived at the hotel.

Vice President JD Vance was the first person taken off the stage. Trump and the first lady were first protected by his security team behind armored panels on the stage. A short time later, the Trumps were also taken out of the room. The president tripped briefly before being helped to a secure suite set aside for him backstage.

When told to get down, an administration official at a media table crawled underneath it, leaving only her high heels visible.

Security agents escorted VIPs out of the crowd, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and top White House advisers Stephen Miller and Dan Scavino. As Trump was being led away, someone attempted to start a “U.S.A” chant but was quieted by other attendees.

Erika Kirk, widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk (who was assassinated), was seen crying as she was led out of the ballroom. Other guests hugged each other as they left the venue. It soon became apparent that no one in the room had suffered serious injuries.

Suspect ran past barricades before being tackled

Authorities reported that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives, and he rushed into the lobby, bypassing security barriers as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bulletproof vest but was on the mend, officials stated. The suspect was tackled and arrested; he wasn’t hurt but was being assessed at a hospital.

The person responsible for the shooting was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California.

Several guests left the ballroom right away through the maze of hallways around it. Staff guided attendees to emergency exits. Outside, guests had to walk several blocks to get past streets closed off by police cars. Helicopters circled overhead.

Trump stayed at the hotel for a while. The Washington Hilton had been made a secure location after the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, which happened as he was exiting the same hotel.

Once security was restored, Trump was eager for the dinner to continue. Hotel staff was refolding napkins and refilling water glasses, while aides adjusted the teleprompter for his speech. However, he followed security guidelines and announced the event would be rescheduled within the next 30 days.

Later that night, back at the White House, Trump shared his thoughts.

“When you’re impactful they go after you,” said Trump, the subject of two assassination attempts. “I’m not a basket case.”

He added about the night and the interrupted gala: “I see so many tuxedos and beautiful dresses. It was a little different evening than we thought. But we’re going to do it again.”