Secret Service Agent Shot at White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Suspect Apprehended in Chaotic Scene

Secret Service agents have apprehended a California man who shot a fellow agent near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday evening, President Trump said.

A bulletproof vest protected the agent from the shot, Trump said during a press conference at the White House on Saturday evening after law enforcement pushed the president and event organizers to cancel the event.

"A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service and they acted very quickly," Trump said.

"One officer was shot but was saved by the fact that he was wearing obviously a very good bulletproof vest," he added. "He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun and the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing great he’s in great shape, very high spirits. We told him we love him and respect him."

The president said he believes the gunman acted alone, but that law enforcement is still investigating the incident.

Earlier on Saturday evening, gunfire could be heard in the event ballroom as Trump and other key administration officials were evacuated from the event's head table. Trump had only been seated for roughly five minutes when the shots rang out.

A White House press pool report indicated there were several loud bangs, which could be heard on a livestream of the event, when Secret Service with guns drawn rushed the press pool out of the room, shouting "shots fired."

"Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we 'LET THE SHOW GO ON' but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again."

However, a short time later, Trump returned to Truth Social to clarify that law enforcement had "requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately" and suggested the event would be rescheduled "within 30 days.

Trump also said that the "First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition."

Speaking from the White House, the president said, "We’re not going to let anybody take over our society. We’re not going to cancel things out because we can't do that. We wanted to stay tonight. I will tell you I fought like hell to stay, but they — it was protocol."

Saturday evening's dinner marked the first time Trump attended the annual WHCD as president; he had elected to skip the event during his first term. Other Trump administration officials in attendance on Saturday evening included Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Some 2,600 journalists, politicians, and celebrities were in attendance at the event. Protesters had gathered outside, holding anti-Trump and anti-war signs. Some demonstrators waved Iranian and Palestinian flags.

White House Correspondents' Association President Weija Jiang told attendees on Saturday evening that the event had been canceled at the request of law enforcement.

"[President Trump] wanted to continue despite the news, but has to follow security protocol," she said. "I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public service because when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it. And on a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are. I saw all of you reporting, and that's what we do. So, thank God everybody is safe. And thank you for coming together tonight. We will do this again. Thank you.”

Trump, for his part, said the dinner's attendees were "totally unified" by the evening's events.

"This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press and in a certain way it did," he said.

He later added: "In light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully. We have to resolve our differences."