Trump on gun shooting incident: Thought tray fell to the ground, denies attack being related to war with Iran.

On the evening of Saturday, April 25th local time, after a shooting incident occurred at the White House Correspondents' Dinner venue, US President Trump quickly held a press conference at the White House. Trump stated that the suspect had been apprehended, and he called on the American people to resolve differences peacefully, denying any connection between the incident and a war with Iran. According to reports from CCTV News and other media, at around 8:35 pm local time on April 25th, a "security incident" occurred while President Trump was attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. There were reports of a "loud noise" at the scene, and Trump was escorted out by security personnel. It was reported that at the annual dinner event held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, at least five gunshots were heard. The gunshots seemed to come from the back of the ballroom, where attendees were enjoying their first course, and just minutes before, Weija Jiang, the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, had just given a speech. The hotel is also the site of the attempted assassination of former President Reagan in 1981. At the time, Trump was seated on the front stage of the ballroom next to First Lady Melania. The attack caused panic among the over 2000 guests, including journalists and Trump administration officials, who scrambled under tables for cover. Videos on social media showed Trump and others being escorted off the stage, with armed guards in tactical gear and carrying large rifles appearing on the dais. Trump held a press conference around 10 pm local time to disclose more details about the security incident. He stated that the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner came from California. The suspect was reported to be carrying multiple weapons, had breached security checkpoints, and was later apprehended by Secret Service personnel. Before the press conference, Trump had already posted a photo on social media showing a man lying on the floor of the Washington Hilton Hotel. The man appeared to be the suspect. Trump mentioned that the shooting incident resulted in a Secret Service agent being shot but survived due to wearing a bulletproof vest. The injured agent is currently in stable condition. When asked about the relation of the shooting incident to the conflict with Iran, Trump said, "I don't think so." He also pointed out, "This event will not prevent me from winning in the war with Iran." Multiple assassination attempts against him were mentioned During his speech in the White House press room, Trump also mentioned several previous assassination attempts against him, like the two attempted assassinations in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Florida in 2024. Trump called on the American people to resolve differences peacefully. "As you know, this is not the first attempt in the past several years on our country by would-be assassins. Just under two years ago in Butler, PA, you all know what happened; and then a few months later, in Palm Beach, Florida, we almost got hit, we really almost got hit," Trump told reporters on Saturday night. "But even with that, everyone in the room... showed tremendous love and unity," Trump added, also mentioning the bipartisan condemnation of the event tonight. Many industry insiders pointed out that the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner highlighted the various security incidents that have surrounded Trump from his campaign to his reelection. In July 2024, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman fired multiple shots at Trump, with one bullet reportedly grazing his ear. Five Secret Service agents rushed onto the stage to protect Trump. Then, just two months later in September of that year, Trump encountered a second apparent assassination attempt. A shooter ambushed near the golf course at the Mar-a-Lago estate, and Trump was quickly moved to a safe zone by agents. Shooting at "Washington's safest event"? There are still many questions surrounding the shooting incident, and concerns have been raised about the security arrangements at the White House Correspondents' Dinner venue after the event. The annual event held at the Washington Hilton hotel brings together hundreds of journalists, the President, several Cabinet members, and other high-ranking government officials. Guests attending the dinner have to pass through strict security checks, similar to airport security, to enter the main ballroom. There are also security personnel outside the hotel. In theory, this should be one of the safest events in Washington. Previous White House Correspondents' Dinners have never experienced a similar incident. However, tonight's event is undoubtedly going to bring increased attention to the security work for similar events in the future. Trump also took the opportunity of this security incident to recommend the new ballroom currently being built in the White House, implying that the building will provide a safer venue for future events. "The building we're in now is not so secure, I hate to say that, but that's why we have to have all the security measures that we have planned at the White House," Trump said at the press conference. "But it's actually a larger hall, and the security measures are better. It can prevent drones, and it has bulletproof glass. We need that ballroom. That's why the Secret Service and the military are strongly pushing for its construction." Trump had previously stated that the 90,000-square-foot ballroom being built in the East Wing of the White Houses would come equipped with multiple security features. He stated that the addition of the facility is necessary for hosting large state events. "For 150 years, people have wanted to have this ballroom for various reasons, and today's situation is different because now we need to reach unprecedented security levels," he said. Suspect to be charged soon US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the man who allegedly fired shots at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night may soon face charges. "Given his actions, the charges are self-evident. But as you will hear, in addition to the shooting incident itself, we will also charge him with multiple offenses, including illegal possession of firearms and any other charges we can find," Blanche said. He added that the investigation is still ongoing. "You have seen the ugliest side of this country tonight and you have also seen its best side," Blanche said. "The ugliest side is embodied in the cowardly act the president just mentioned. But you have also seen the best side, because you have seen law enforcement agencies diligently performing their duties." FBI Director Kash Patel is currently urging the public to share "any information related to this incident." Patel stated that the FBI is examining the ballistics at the scene and a long rifle and questioning witnesses. He said, "No piece of information is insignificant. We will evaluate all the information. We will also interview people on the scene, and if anyone has information, please provide leads to law enforcement - the FBI or the Capital Police." He also added that investigators would thoroughly examine the suspect's background. Various responses to the attack from across the US, including the widow of Charlie Kirk Member of the White House Correspondents' Association Board of Directors Cortney Subramanian stated in an interview that the incident in the banquet hall tonight was a painful moment for many of the people present. She was there at the time and recalled that half the room were on the ground, including the President. Security personnel quickly escorted the President and Vice President out, and then transported other people to the backstage. Subramanian mentioned that the widow of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, was also quickly escorted away, visibly in tears. In September 2025, Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and political ally of President Trump, was fatally shot while speaking at the Uintah Valley University in Orem, Utah. US lawmakers also responded to reports of the shooting incident at the dinner tonight. Some lawmakers made statements on social media about the incident at the dinner tonight. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was "closely monitoring developments at the White House Correspondents' Dinner." He noted, "I appreciate the swift response of law enforcement and pray that everyone is safe." Republican Senator Rand Paul said, "Thank God, the President and all attendees tonight are safe." This article is reproduced from Financial Linkage Society; authored by Xiaoxiang; GMTEight editor: Wang Qiujia.