On the evening of April 25, 2026, a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner held at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump, who had been introduced with First Lady Melania Trump roughly fifteen minutes before the incident, was immediately evacuated by the Secret Service. Vice President JD Vance and multiple cabinet members were also escorted out. The shooter was killed by Secret Service agents in the hotel lobby.
The incident happened fast. Katie Pavlich, a journalist who was present inside the room, reported the sequence in real time on social media: “Five or so mins after he was seated shots rang out: POP POP POP POP. Sounds like five to me where I’m sitting. Everyone immediately hit the floor. Secret Service immediately took POTUS out and a search of the room began.”
She added: “There are thousands of people here. It appears there was an active shooter.”
Location: Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C. — site of the annual WHCA dinner
Timing: Approximately 5 minutes after Trump was seated and introduced
What happened: Multiple loud shots heard inside the building; attendees took cover on the floor
Evacuated: President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, VP JD Vance, cabinet members
Shooter: Confirmed dead — killed by Secret Service in the hotel lobby
Presidential injuries: No visible indication of any injuries (AP)
Other casualties: Not yet confirmed
Motive: Unknown
Shooter identity: Not yet released
What Reporters on the Ground Are Saying
Pavlich, reporting from inside the venue, initially noted uncertainty about whether the sounds were gunfire or something else: “It sounded like shots in the room, unclear if it was but being treated as if it were by Secret Service.” She later confirmed that cabinet members were escorted out with security details and that a full room search was underway.
Scott Jennings, a CNN commentator also present, posted video of the evacuation and confirmed on air that CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported a shooter was confirmed dead at the scene. Reuters reported that “attendees including President Donald Trump took cover at the White House correspondents dinner on Saturday after a loud noise” and that “he was taken away by Secret Service agents.”
The Associated Press reported that there was “no visible indication of any injuries” to the president after the evacuation. The Indo-Canadian Voice and Jerusalem Post both reported the shooter was killed in the Washington Hilton lobby by Secret Service.
“POP POP POP POP. Sounds like five to me where I’m sitting. Everyone immediately hit the floor. Secret Service immediately took POTUS out.”
— Katie Pavlich, reporting from inside the WHCA dinner
Trump’s First Correspondents’ Dinner as President
This was Trump’s first appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as president. He boycotted the event during his first term, sending surrogates or ignoring it entirely. His decision to attend this year’s dinner was seen as notable given his years-long war with the press and frequent attacks on journalists and media organizations.
The annual dinner is traditionally a formal affair where the president, members of Congress, journalists, and celebrities gather at the Washington Hilton for speeches, comedy, and awards. It has been held at the same hotel since 1920 and typically draws thousands of attendees.
A Pattern That Won’t Stop
This is the latest in a series of security incidents involving President Trump and his protective detail. Trump survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign. In July 2024, a gunman shot him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounding his ear and killing a rally attendee. In September 2024, a man was arrested at his West Palm Beach golf course with a rifle. In February 2026, a man with a shotgun and gas can was shot and killed after breaching the Mar-a-Lago perimeter. In November 2025, two National Guard members were shot near the White House in a separate targeted attack.
The Secret Service has faced sustained scrutiny and internal reviews over these incidents, with critics pointing to communication gaps and lapses in security planning.
What Comes Next
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the shooter or confirmed a motive. It is not yet clear whether the gunfire occurred inside the dinner hall itself or was confined to the lobby area. Officials are expected to provide a full briefing as the investigation develops.
This post will be updated as new information becomes available.
Sources
- Associated Press (via WTOP): “President Trump evacuated after security incident at White House correspondents dinner.” No visible indication of any injuries. April 25, 2026.
- Townhall (Katie Pavlich, on scene): Live reporting from inside the dinner. Five shots heard. Attendees hit the floor. Secret Service evacuated POTUS. Cabinet members escorted out. Shooter appears dead. Includes embedded tweets with video of evacuation. April 25, 2026.
- Reuters (via Global Banking and Finance): “Attendees including President Donald Trump took cover at the White House correspondents dinner on Saturday after a loud noise.” He was taken away by Secret Service agents. Trump’s first appearance at the event as president. April 25, 2026.
- Jerusalem Post: Trump evacuated by Secret Service. Footage shows attendees taking cover. Shooter shot dead in Washington Hilton. Developing story. April 26, 2026.
- Indo-Canadian Voice: Shooter shot dead in Washington Hilton lobby. Trump and Vance ushered out by Secret Service. April 26, 2026.
- Times Now: Reports of possible gunfire. C-SPAN journalist reported multiple “boom” sounds before Trump and dignitaries rushed off stage. Authorities have not confirmed whether shots were fired or provided info on injuries. April 26, 2026.
- India Today: Trump evacuated after security incident at WHCA dinner. Developing story. April 26, 2026.