Live Updates: Trump Describes Gunman’s Attack at Washington Hotel

 

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April 26, 2026, 3:33 a.m. ET13 minutes ago

Live Updates: Trump Describes Gunman’s Attack at Washington Hotel

President Trump was rushed from the stage of a dinner hosted by the White House reporters’ association. Trump said a Secret Service agent was shot at but “saved” by his bulletproof vest. The F.B.I. said a suspect was in custody.

 

Luke Broadwater Michael M. GrynbaumShawn McCreesh and Tyler Pager

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/25/us/trump-correspondents-dinner-shooting

 

Here’s the latest.

President Trump was rushed from the stage after gunfire broke out in the hotel where the White House correspondents’ dinner was being held on Saturday night. At a White House news conference a couple of hours later, Mr. Trump described an assailant carrying multiple weapons charging a security checkpoint before being taken into custody.

 

The president said a Secret Service officer had been shot but was saved by his bulletproof vest. Mr. Trump said the motive of the attacker — whom he said was believed to be a “lone wolf” — was not immediately clear.

 

Two law enforcement officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter identified the man in custody as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. Mr. Trump posted two images on Truth Social showing a man he said was the attacker being detained and told reporters that law enforcement officials were heading to the suspect’s apartment in California.

 

Mr. Trump also posted a brief surveillance video of a man running past the security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held. In the video, agents drew their guns and appeared to start firing.

 

Guests were about five minutes into the dinner hour when a commotion occurred toward the back of the ballroom, which Mr. Trump said had not been breached by the attacker. Mr. Trump said he initially thought the noise was a tray falling to the ground, and did not immediately dive for cover. “I was watching to see what was happening,” he said.

 

According to the White House press pool, a group of reporters who travel with the president, a member of the Secret Service shouted, “Shots fired,” and agents with guns drawn sprinted through the aisles to reach the president.

 

Hundreds of attendees dropped under their seats at their tables. Security officials with weapons drawn emerged on the dais as the president and the first lady, Melania Trump, were quickly escorted out.

 

Mr. Trump, who was grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pa., and rushed to safety a few months later when a federal agent fired on an armed man at his Florida golf club, departed the hotel around 9:45 p.m.

 

Here’s what else we’re covering:

 

Charges: The suspect in the attack was being charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and with assault of a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, said Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. She said the suspect would be arraigned on Monday in federal court and that additional charges were expected.

 

Administration attendees: Vice President JD Vance and many members of the president’s cabinet and senior staff were in attendance at the dinner. Among the attendees were Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary; Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence; Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary; Robert Kennedy Jr., the health secretary; Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary; Steven Cheung, the White House communications director; and Kash Patel, the director of the F.B.I. Mr. Trump later wrote on social media, “The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition.”

 

Hotel’s history: The Washington Hilton is the same hotel outside of which John Hinckley Jr. tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

 

Pooja Salhotra contributed reporting.