President Trump was rushed out of the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night after several loud bangs were heard, and the Secret Service officers with guns drawn sprinted through the aisles to reach the president.
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.” The event resumed after a brief disturbance, and Mr. Trump wanted to return to deliver his remarks, according to a senior administration official. The press pool said the president had not left the hotel.
Guests were about five minutes into the dinner hour when a commotion could be heard toward the back of the ballroom. Security officials then sprinted through the aisles toward the stage where the president was seated. Gasps were heard and then 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.
In addition to the president, Ms. Trump and Vice President JD Vance, 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; Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary; Steven Cheung, the White House communications director; Kash Patel, the director of the F.B.I.
