A suspect believed to have tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on Saturday appeared to be targeting US President Donald Trump and members of his administration, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
The incident unfolded at the Washington Hilton, where around 2,300 guests were attending the annual dinner. According to law enforcement, a lone 31-year-old man from California, who had checked into the hotel, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint in the lobby carrying multiple weapons. He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives, officials said. The suspect was tackled by officers, taken into custody and transported to hospital for evaluation; he has not been shot. A Secret Service agent was hit during the confrontation and hospitalized but is expected to be okay, authorities said.
Blanche told NBC that the suspect had traveled across the country, taking a train from California to Chicago and then to Washington, and that evidence indicated he “set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president.” Authorities identified the individual but had not formally named him. They said he purchased the firearms in the last couple of years and was not actively cooperating with the investigation. Messages, device data and writings are being analyzed to determine motive.
President Trump was onstage when the shots were heard. Secret Service agents immediately rushed him and other senior officials to safety. In footage posted by the White House, the suspect can be seen running past security officers before being subdued. Guests reportedly hid under tables as armed agents secured the ballroom. The Secret Service has been praised by leaders including former President Barack Obama, who called the response a sobering reminder of the agency’s courage and sacrifice.
The White House press secretary described the incident as an attempted assassination and called the assailant a “depraved crazy person.” Trump later said the shooter held “strongly anti-Christian” views, citing the suspect’s writings; media reports noted a LinkedIn profile that listed membership in campus groups including a “Christian Fellowship,” but investigators are continuing to review material for motive.
Officials said the suspect had a master’s degree and worked as a tutor; he was reported to be an amateur video-game developer. Federal campaign finance records show a small donation in 2024 to Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. He is set to be arraigned on charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
The attempted attack briefly cast doubt on a planned state visit by Britain’s King Charles III, due to arrive in Washington shortly afterward. US and UK officials said security arrangements were being reviewed, and Buckingham Palace confirmed the visit would go ahead. World leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed relief that no senior officials were harmed and condemned political violence.
Trump used the incident to call for unity and praised law enforcement. He also argued the event illustrated the need for a new State Ballroom under construction at the White House, saying the attack “would never have happened” with the planned facility. The project has drawn controversy over funding, design and historic impacts.
The Washington Hilton is the same venue where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 in an assassination attempt he survived. Saturday’s events have prompted renewed discussion about public safety at high-profile political gatherings. Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin, who attended the dinner, urged bipartisan denunciation of political violence and a national conversation about security.
Authorities continue investigating. The suspect faces federal charges and will be arraigned; further details on his motive and the contents of his writings and devices are expected as the inquiry proceeds.