Shooting at White House Correspondents' Dinner Prompts Evacuation

A shooting disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, charged through a security checkpoint and fired multiple shots in the ballroom.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, who were onstage, were evacuated along with other attendees. One U.S. Secret Service officer was shot but protected by a bulletproof vest, according to President Trump. No other injuries were reported among administration officials or guests.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Allen likely targeted Trump and top officials, having traveled from Los Angeles and purchased two firearms within the last couple of years.

Allen was armed with a shotgun and possibly other weapons, according to multiple accounts. He fired three to six shots, described as enormously loud by witnesses. Law enforcement quickly subdued and arrested him on site. The FBI noted a person armed with a shotgun tried to breach security.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced charges including use of a firearm and assault on a federal officer, with more expected.

CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, who was near the gunman, recounted hearing gunshots while walking back to the ballroom. He was pushed to the ground by police for protection and taken to a secure room.

“I was a few feet away from the gunman as he was firing. It was loud. It was scary. He emphasized not canceling events due to threats.”

“We’re gonna do it again, we’re not gonna let anybody take over our society; we’re not gonna cancel things because we can’t do that.”

The incident renewed focus on Trump's $400 million White House ballroom project, which includes a subterranean bunker and advanced security features. Trump stated the event would not have occurred with the ballroom, located on secure White House grounds.

A federal judge halted aboveground construction earlier this month, ruling it unnecessary for security, though bunker work continues. Trump announced the project in July 2025, initially at $200 million funded by private donations via the Trust for the National Mall, with costs later rising to $400 million.

Demolition of the East Wing began in October 2025 without warning.

Republicans, including Louisiana Gov.

Jeff Landry, commentator Jack Posobiec, and Libs of TikTok account runner Chaya Raichik, supported accelerating the ballroom construction. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who attended the dinner, urged support for the ballroom, citing inadequate security at the Hilton venue.

He noted the Washington Hilton has hosted the event for years, with guests passing through metal detectors, though some reported lax ticket checks. Officials are investigating how Allen bypassed security. The ballroom is described as a modernized Presidential Emergency Operations Center, used in past crises like 9/11 and 2020 protests.