Actress Urges Rejection of Violent Rhetoric After Shooting at White House Correspondents' Dinner

On April 25, 2026, shots were fired near the ballroom at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Dinner, prompting the evacuation of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump, and other officials.

The gunman exchanged fire with Secret Service agents in the lobby before being subdued and taken into custody. Hundreds of attendees ducked under tables or took cover inside the ballroom, and the event was postponed.

Senior federal law enforcement sources reported on April 26, 2026, that the suspect told law enforcement he intended to target Trump administration officials. The suspect rushed a Secret Service checkpoint while armed with multiple weapons and opened fire, striking a Secret Service officer in his ballistic vest.

Agents returned fire and tackled the suspect to the ground. The suspect and the injured officer were transported to a hospital, with the officer expected to make a full recovery and released on April 26, 2026.

The incident is part of a series of threats against President Donald Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago. The White House stated on April 26, 2026, that the suspect's brother contacted the New London Police Department in Connecticut prior to the shooting, reporting that the suspect had sent family members a manifesto outlining his intent to target administration officials.

Officials also stated the suspect's social media included anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric. The suspect's sister told investigators in Rockville, Maryland, that her brother had made increasingly radical statements and often spoke about taking action to address world issues.

An actress known for her role in 'Everybody Loves Raymond' stated she was not happy when former presidents Clinton, Obama, or Biden won elections but did not call them fascist, dangerous, or a threat to democracy. She added that she did not hope for their assassination and continued with her life gratefully, urging others on the left to try the same approach for better personal and national outcomes.

The actress has previously addressed political discourse. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September 2025, she noted violent rhetoric from people with phrases like 'choose kindness' in their bios. Following the 2024 presidential election, she stated that political pundits engaged in fear-mongering and denigrated voters by saying Trump posed a threat to their way of life.

She also said to stop calling people who voted differently uneducated and to learn from smearing those with different needs and complaints.

The actress posted a video on X in November 2024 addressing extremists allowed television time who told women certain outcomes would happen to them.