President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were the likely targets of a suspect who fired on a security agent guarding the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday.
The man fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the dinner.
“It does appear that he, he did, in fact, set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” adding that the suspect likely traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington.
The suspect will be charged in federal court on Monday with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, Blanche said, adding he did not know if there was an Iran connection to the attack.
Trump told reporters at a briefing at the White House after the attack that the Secret Service agent was saved by his bulletproof vest and was in “good shape.” U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the officer had been released from hospital.
He also said he believed that he was the target of the attack. The president has survived two previous attempts on his life since 2024, a period of deepening political polarization in the United States.
Meanwhile, leaders from across the world have been reacting to a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is “relieved” that President Trump and the first lady, along with those in attendance, are safe. He adds: “My thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event”.
His Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, also says he is “pleased to hear” that those at the scene are safe. “We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement,” he adds.
*The suspect arrested
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, expresses her support for the US president, the first lady and all attendees, adding that “political violence has no place in democracy”.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez “strongly condemn[s] the attempted attack” and extends “best wishes” to those in attendance.
Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani Prime Minister, says he is “deeply shocked” by the shooting and extends his “thoughts and prayers” to Trump.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he sends “best wishes for their continued safety and well-being” to the president, the first lady and the vice-president.
“We send our respect,” says Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, adding that “violence should never be the way”.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he’s “shocked by the scenes at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington overnight”.
“Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” he says.
Starmer says it is a “huge relief” that Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and the event’s.
With agency reports
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