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.

Leavitt explained that Trump’s position is “nuanced and common sense,” noting that foreign specialists may initially be needed when international companies invest billions in the United States to establish high-tech manufacturing facilities, such as battery or semiconductor factories. These workers, she said, help launch operations in “very niche” areas that may require specialised expertise not immediately available in the domestic workforce.

The press secretary stressed that, ultimately, the administration’s goal is to ensure American workers fill these roles once production ramps up. Trump himself previously noted that complex facilities, like computer chip factories, cannot simply hire from local unemployment lines and require skilled personnel to train domestic employees.

At the US-Saudi Investment Forum last week, Trump said he welcomed the foreign workers brought in during this initial phase. “They’re going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great,” he stated, adding that the foreign specialists would eventually return home after transferring their knowledge to the American workforce .

Trump said he had spoken with Lula and expected an in-person meeting soon. The meeting could signal a shift in tone, following months of elevated tensions between their administrations over trade and sanctions .

On Bolsonaro’s detention, Trump expressed surprise, claiming he was initially unaware of the arrest. He added that the move raises serious concerns about political persecution, given Bolsonaro’s long-standing role in Brazilian politics .

Trump’s remarks come amid a broader realignment in US–Brazil relations. Earlier this year, he imposed steep tariffs on Brazilian exports, measures some analysts saw as support for Bolsonaro. The potential upcoming meeting with Lula could mark a return to diplomatic engagement, depending on how both sides navigate past grievances.

Trump also drew comparisons with recent US operations at sea, claiming that maritime drug routes had been reduced by 85% He argued that similar tactics could be applied on land if necessary, portraying them as a way to protect American lives.

The remarks come after deadly US strikes on alleged Venezuelan “narco boats”, which have already heightened tensions in Latin America . Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly rejected any prospect of foreign intervention, insisting her country will not permit US military action on its territory.

Trump’s comments underline the strain in US-Mexico relations over how to tackle cross-border drug trafficking . The issue carries global significance, with Washington’s approach likely to shape regional security dynamics and international debates on sovereignty and counter-narcotics policy.

The standoff has escalated since August, when Maduro condemned the deployment of US warships, submarines, aircraft and marines to the southern Caribbean. Washington insists the operations are part of an anti-drug crackdown, while Caracas has denounced them as a threat to sovereignty.

Earlier this month, Maduro’s letter rejected US accusations of drug trafficking as “fake news”, highlighting Venezuela’s anti-narcotics record and calling for direct talks with Trump. In response, the Venezuelan government launched military exercises and warned of possible aggression, with Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López calling the US presence “threatening” and Maduro accusing Washington of pursuing regime change.