Gunfire interrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, 2026, forcing an immediate evacuation of the President and top officials from the Washington Hilton. The incident happened just minutes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a comment about the evening ahead that quickly took on a very different meaning.
According to The Daily Beast, Leavitt had been speaking to reporters about Donald Trump’s upcoming speech, describing it as “classic Donald J. Trump” and promising it would be funny and entertaining. During those remarks, she said, “There will be some shots fired tonight,” and encouraged everyone to tune in because it was going to be “really great.”
Minutes later, what sounded like gunfire erupted at the hotel – the same venue where John Hinckley attempted to kill President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Trump, Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were all present. Trump had been seated at the dais alongside Melania and WHCA President Weijia Jiang when the chaos began.
The Secret Service acted fast, and everyone was confirmed safe
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that a suspect connected to the shooting near the main screening area had been apprehended. He stated, “The president and first lady are safe along with all protectees,” and added that law enforcement was actively assessing the situation.
Guglielmi also posted on X: “We will provide updates as they become available and confirm information. Our teams are on the ground assessing the situation and investigating. All of our protectees are safe.” After the evacuation, Trump shared his thoughts on Truth Social.
He wrote, “Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. 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.”
He also noted that regardless of the final decision, the evening would be different than planned and they would have to do it again. Trump also used the moment to pitch his White House construction plans to those in attendance. By 9:45 PM on April 25, Trump was heading back to the White House.
Weijia Jiang indicated that the president would reschedule the event within 30 days. This marks another instance where Trump has been evacuated due to gunfire, following an incident less than two years ago at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. During that event, a bullet grazed his ear, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were critically injured.As of the early hours of April 26, 2026, the condition of those involved in the latest incident remained unclear. The White House and the WHCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Separately, Trump has also been dealing with rising military tensions, as the US military was ordered to engage Iranian boats laying mines in the region.
Published: Apr 26, 2026 10:15 am