Gunman Targets Trump at White House Correspondents' Dinner

A 31-year-old man stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C., armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday evening. , prompting attendees to seek cover as gunfire erupted.

The suspect, a teacher and California Institute of Technology graduate, allegedly sent a manifesto to his family about 10 minutes before the attack. In the document, he referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and expressed intentions to target Trump administration officials.

The manifesto included statements about minimizing casualties by using buckshot rather than slugs.

A Secret Service agent was shot but protected by a bulletproof vest, sustaining no serious injuries. The suspect was captured in the lobby before entering the ballroom where President Trump was scheduled to speak to over 2,500 guests. Dramatic footage showed officers with guns drawn ushering the president offstage.

President Trump posted on Truth Social within an hour, confirming the shooter's apprehension and sharing CCTV footage of the assailant. " The president also addressed the manifesto details that emerged. The suspect faces initial charges of using a firearm and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with additional charges expected.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. FBI agents searched a home in Torrance, California, linked to the suspect, who holds a master's degree from California State University at Dominguez Hills earned in 2025.

This marks the third suspected assassination attempt on President Trump. Previous incidents include a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear, and a September 2024 event at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where a gunman was spotted in bushes.

A former UK ambassador to the U.S. stated that entry required showing an invitation card, with a subsequent checkpoint including a metal detector and bag check. A congressman described the security as “woefully insufficient,” noting the suspect should not have reached the vicinity.

An official indicated the suspect traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago to Washington, D.C., before checking into the hotel. Preliminary investigations suggest the motive involved targeting administration officials, including potentially the president.

Oz Pearlman, who was performing at the event, described the moment as the “scariest” of his life, recounting lying on the ground near President Trump as shots rang out. He initially thought it might be a bomb.

“We laid on the ground, I was a couple feet away from President Trump, eyes locked with one another. officials. The visit includes a banquet at the White House with Queen Camilla. Sir Keir Starmer spoke with President Trump to express relief that he and Melania Trump were safe.”