Another Trump assassination attempt unfolds at press dinner
US President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on Saturday night (Washington time) after what authorities described as another assassination attempt targeting the president.
The incident unfolded at the Washington Hilton hotel, where hundreds of journalists, politicians and administration officials had gathered for the annual black-tie event honouring the White House press corps.
Gunshots erupted shortly after dinner began, prompting panic inside the ballroom as Secret Service agents rushed Trump and First Lady Melania Trump from the venue.
What happened
According to US officials, the suspect allegedly charged towards a Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel lobby while carrying multiple weapons, including a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said investigators believe the man acted alone. The suspect, identified by US media as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, was taken into custody and later brought to a local hospital for evaluation.
Jeffrey Carroll, Washington’s police chief, said investigators believe at least one shot was fired during the confrontation. A Secret Service officer was struck but avoided serious injury after the bullet hit a ballistic vest, Trump later told reporters at a White House briefing.
Many attendees took cover beneath tables while security personnel secured the room.
Trump said the attacker did not breach the ballroom itself and praised law enforcement for responding swiftly. He later suggested the White House should host future events in a more secure setting.
Previous assassination attempts
The incident marks the latest in a string of threats against Trump over the past two years.
In July 2024, Trump was grazed by a bullet during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in an attack that shocked the country and intensified concerns over political violence in the United States.
Months later, another armed suspect was confronted by federal agents near Trump’s golf club in Florida, forcing the president into protective custody once again.
Dinner to be rescheduled
The White House Correspondents’ Association later announced that the annual dinner would be rescheduled within the next 30 days.
“We will do this again,” association president Weijia Jiang told guests after the incident.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
