First Lady Melania Trump and President Trump at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Nathan Howard/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Nathan Howard/Getty Images
President Donald Trump was reported uninjured after a possible shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday in Washington, D.C., the Associated Press says. Secret Service agents said a suspect is in custody.
What sounded like gunshots were heard by gathered reporters shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET in the Washington Hilton. Several guests were seen fleeing the ballroom where hundreds of journalists, politicians and attendees were gathered — including Trump, Vice President Vance and other members of the administration.
Video from inside the room showed security quickly clear the guests on the main stage — including the president and first lady. Someone can be heard shouting “stay down.”
President Trump took to social media shortly after being rushed out to praise the Secret Service.
“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. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again,” Trump wrote.
Law enforcement was seen evacuating prominent cabinet officials to rooms within the hotel, including Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Several members of Congress were seen leaving the event by foot, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.
Weijia Jiang, the president of the correspondents’ association, says the program will continue.
This is a developing story. Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
