The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was turned upside down Saturday night as a gunman was taken into custody after shots were fired near the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and other administration officials were evacuated by the Secret Service after the shots disrupted the annual gala fundraiser event.

President Trump and first lady and numerous cabinet officials were swiftly evacuated from the event as the shooter was tackled by law enforcement. Law enforcement officials said the suspect charged a security checkpoint with magnetometer screening devices with a rifle, a hand gun and knives in tow. He is reported to have exchanged gunfire with Secret Service officials.

On a night that was to be momentous for marking Trump’s first time at the WHCA dinner as president, the commander-in-chief ended it with an impromptu press briefing at the White House, as dinner attendees scrambled to cover the unexpected turn of events — all while dressed up in evening wear.

President Trump has had a pugnacious relationship with mainstream media and news organizations. At his late-night briefing, he sought to strike a conciliatory tone and even complimented the media for the immediate coverage of the latest shooting incident to disrupt the normal routines of American life. Trump praised the quick work of law enforcement officials that ensured the gun was “taken down by some very brave members” of the Secret Service.

“In light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our difference be soon we have to, we have to resolve our differences peacefully,” Trump said.

CNN reported that a Secret Service agent wearing protective gear had been shot and taken to the hospital. Law enforcement officials confirmed that a man was in custody; reports emerged that he was a 31-year-old man from Torrance, Calif.

After about an hour of confusion within the ballroom, WHCA president Weijia Jiang, of CBS News, came to the podium with tears in her eyes to tell the attendees to leave the ballroom. And she also informed members of the association of the President’s plan to hold a press briefing at the White House within 30 minutes. “That is not a joke,” Jiang deadpanned.

Jiang added that Trump “insists that we will reschedule this event in the next 30 days,” Jiang said. “He wanted to continue despite the news but has to follow security protocol,” she said. Jiang noted that journalism is a profession designed to rise to the occasion in a crisis.

“On a night when are thinking about those freedoms and the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are,” she siad. “I saw all of you reporting and that’s what we do. So thank god, everybody’s safe. Thank you for coming together tonight, and we’ll do this again.”

Trump’s statement issued on his Truth Social platform also laid out his determination to proceed with the event.

“Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately. I will be giving a press conference in 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room. The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition. We will be speaking to you in a half an hour. I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the statement read.

Earlier in the night, after he’d been removed from the ballroom, Trump issued a message stating his hope to go back to the Hilton to finish the night as planned. In that statement, Trump addressed the extraordinary brush with violence: “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,” the President stated.

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer reported on-air that he heard the gunshots and was thrown to the ground by police for safety. Blitzer said he saw the gunman “shooting randomly” and saw him being tackled by police. He was ushered into a restroom for safety by police. Blitzer said he heard at least six dozen loud “booms.” Blitzer told CNN that he had just left the ballroom to use the restroom. As he walked back to his table, he suddenly heard “a whole bunch of gunshots and someone firing. The next thing I saw were a lot of police officers and other law enforcement grabbing [the gunman] and getting him to the ground.”

Shortly after 9 p.m. ET, WHCA president Weijia Jiang told the crowd that the program would continue despite the commotion caused by the incident and Trump’s swift departure. However, by 9:20 p.m. ET it was clear that security was clearing out the ballroom, indicating that the event had been formally scrapped.

The situation sparked immediate on-the-ground reporting from journalists across the media spectrum who took to social media platforms to deliver urgent reports.

ABC News’ Rachel Scott called the situation “terrifying” and described the confusion as attendees suddenly looked up to see Secret Service personnel swarming the president. And it all happened “as [WHCA] members here in this ballroom ducked for cover,” Scott reported on Instagram.

CSPAN coverage showed that just as guests were finishing the salad course of the dinner, the dais for the event was abruptly cleared out and many of the several thousand attendees of the event dove under tables amid concerns about a major security breach. Witnesses told CSPAN that they heard yelling from the back of the ballroom before the Secret Service swept into the room. On CSPAN’s coverage around the 8:40 p.m. ET mark, shouts of “USA, USA” can be heard from the back of the ballroom.

The scene outside the Washington Hilton earlier in the night was tense, with protestors chanting about U.S. action in Iran as attendees entered the hotel. Multiple layers of security with Washington, D.C. streets around the hotel closed off and tickets were required to move past several checkpoints in the hotel and facility. Longtime attendees of the WHCA dinner said they’d never seen tighter security at the event.

After shooting, there was initial confusion as to what had happened before journalists were able to reach their news outlets to report the details of what unfolded. CNN, CNBC, CSPAN and other outlets delivered the news of what just happened in the ballroom in telephone interviews with startled and rattled journalists who were on site.

Most of journalism’s top players were in attendance at the annual fundraiser event. Versant CEO Mark Lazarus, ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic, “Good Morning America” executive producer Simone Swink and Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott are among the notables who were seen at pre-parties on Saturday.

Among the Trump administration officials attending the event were Vice President JD Vance, White House deputy chief of policy Stephen Miller, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, and Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA. There were numerous reports that Kirk was seen to be visibly shaken by the incident, which comes seven months after her political activist husband, Charlie Kirk, was shot during an appearance at a Utah university.

The Trump administration’s strong showing at the event is in sharp contrast to his actions in his previous time in the White House. The 2026 dinner marks Trump’s first time attending the event, which traditionally features a comedian who roasts the president and Washington establishment. This time around the WHCA booked mentalist Oz Pearlman as the celebrity performer. Pearlman was seen making the rounds with top journalists prominently in the live coverage of the event before the disruption.

Trump has had a contentious relationship with mainstream journalists since his political ambitions took off in 2015. Since his return to the White House, the Trump administration has been aggressive in challenging journalism conventions, and the President has not let up on his attacks on the integrity and competence of mainstream journalism. Trump has also engaged in litigation with ABC News, CBS News and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

World leaders across the globe swiftly condemned political violence and expressed relief that President Donald Trump was unharmed after a chaotic armed attack Saturday night disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Their responses poured in on X after a man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton and charged toward the ballroom, where Trump, lawmakers, journalists and foreign dignitaries were gathered, prompting Secret Service agents to open fire and guests to dive under tables.

The suspect — later identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California — was taken into custody, and Trump was rushed offstage unharmed. Officials said the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held, and was taken into custody at the scene. He is expected to appear in court on Monday.

In their reactions, world leaders emphasized both solidarity with the United States and concern over rising political violence.

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French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “unacceptable,” writing that “violence has no place in a democracy” while expressing “full support” for Trump.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed that sentiment, warning against political extremism.

“No political hatred can find space in our democracies,” she said, adding that democratic nations must not allow “fanaticism to poison the places of free debate and information.”

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “relieved” Trump, the first lady and Vice President JD Vance were safe, stressing that violence “must be unequivocally condemned.”

Leaders across Europe struck a similar tone. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked by the scenes,” calling the attack one that must be “condemned in the strongest possible terms,” particularly given it targeted a high-profile democratic event.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “appalled,” adding that democracies must “stand together against political violence.”

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte framed the incident as a broader threat to democratic systems, calling it “an attack on our free and open societies” and reaffirming solidarity with the United States.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as an “attempted assassination,” though U.S. authorities have not publicly characterized it as such, saying he and his wife were “shocked” while praising U.S. security forces for their “swift and decisive action.” He also wished a speedy recovery to a police officer who was shot in a bullet-resistant vest during the confrontation.

From the Western Hemisphere, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “relieved” all attendees were safe but called the episode a “disturbing event,” while Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said simply, “Violence should never be the way.”

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Argentine President Javier Milei issued one of the strongest statements, condemning what he described as a “new assassination attempt,” and linking the attack to “violent rhetoric of the left all over the world.” His characterization has not been confirmed by U.S. officials.

Leaders from beyond the traditional Western alliance also weighed in. Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, said her government “strongly condemns” the attack and emphasized that “violence is never an option,” while European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas highlighted the symbolism of the venue, noting that “an event meant to honour a free press should never become a scene of fear.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised U.S. law enforcement and Secret Service agents for their “swift action” in containing the situation.

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The attack marks the latest in a string of security threats against Trump since 2024 and is likely to intensify scrutiny over security protocols at major public events involving the president. It is also likely to renew conversations about rising political violence in the U.S.

Authorities say the suspect acted alone and have not yet identified a motive. FBI and local law enforcement officials descended on the suspect’s Torrance home Saturday night.

EU leaders vowed to boost security and economic ties with Middle East partners and push for a diplomatic end to the Iran war, after talks in Cyprus focusing on the fallout from the conflict.

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Leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan as well as the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, were in Nicosia to meet their European Union counterparts on the sidelines of an EU summit.

“The current situation clearly underscores how closely Europe’s security is linked with that of the Middle East, and how vital our cooperation on security and defence has become,” European Council president António Costa told a press conference after the talks.

Although no formal decisions were taken, the summit provided an opportunity to exchange views about the war, the situation in Lebanon and across the Gulf, as well as the economic consequences for Europe amid the US blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran effectively shuttering the Strait of Hormuz.

“The recent ceasefires between the US and Iran, Israel and Lebanon are welcome developments. Now all parties must engage in good faith to achieve a peace. The European Union is not part of the conflict, but we will be part of this solution,” European Council President Antonio Costa said at a press conference on Friday.

Fighting has currently been suspended in both Iran and Lebanon. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said that a ceasefire with Iran that was due to expire on 22 April had been extended indefinitely, while on Thursday he said that a suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon had been extended for three weeks.

Meanwhile, the White House said on Friday evening that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would head to Pakistan for a second round of talks on Saturday.

European officials have floated the idea of a multinational force to escort commercial ships and clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz, but the plan remains at an early stage and it is unclear whether it will be implemented.

Even if EU leaders are actively avoiding direct involvement in the war, they’re aiming to provide support to Middle Eastern countries affected by it, which the EU considers strategic partners in energy, migration and digitalisation.

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa was among the key regional figures at the talks and he reiterated the importance of bilateral relations with the EU and described them as “essential and inevitable, particularly to ensure global security and the stability of supply chains.”

At the same time, he asked the international community to “uphold its responsibilities in addressing all forms of Israeli aggression affecting our land and territories.”

Increasing energy prices in Europe

Another topic of discussion was rising energy prices around the world due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The standoff is choking off nearly all exports through the vital waterway, through which around 20% of the world’s traded oil passes in peacetime.

The disruption has sent energy prices soaring across Europe, prompting fears of shortages and economic decline.

EU leaders discussed a set of new measures unveiled by the European Commission earlier this week, such as social schemes, tax reductions and subsidies for green technologies.

“Since the beginning of this conflict, our bill for imported fossil fuels has increased by over €25 billion without a single molecule of energy in addition. We need to reduce our over-dependency on important fossil fuels because these make us vulnerable to crises,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

Von der Leyen also said work was under way to boost economic, trade and political ties with Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Gulf nations and proposed those partnerships broaden to defence matters.

“We could consider expanding the scope of missions like Operation Aspides evolving from mere protection to a sophisticated joint maritime coordination,” she said without providing further details.

Aspides is the EU’s naval mission in the Red Sea, launched in 2024 to prevent attacks on trade vessels by Iran-backed Houthi rebel forces.

“The threat of mass proliferation of drones and missiles is sadly a shared reality. We should set up a structural cooperation of scaling up defence production,” von der Leyen added.