What's going on: Shortly after attendees sat down for Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, muffled gunshots rang out — some initially mistook them for dropped dinner plates. Confused journalists, who were just posting “nerd prom” pics, hid under tables with waitstaff, and some began reporting almost immediately. The Secret Service entered the room to escort President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance to safety. As videos and photos of the incident continue to emerge...here’s what we know:
The suspect & motive: Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen. He was subdued by the Secret Service within seconds and never made it close to officials. A Secret Service agent (wearing a bulletproof vest) was shot, and he is expected to recover. Investigators say Allen, a California teacher, was armed with multiple weapons and appeared to target President Trump and administration officials. A 1,000-word manifesto that listed his grievances against Trump was found in his hotel room. Allen is expected to appear in court later today.
What else?: Political violence is already on the rise in the US, and this is the third assassination attempt against Trump. The president struck an unusually conciliatory tone immediately following the incident, calling for unity. Trump said he “wasn’t worried,” but the attack only underscores the need for the White House’s ballroom project to continue, which a federal judge recently blocked. But by Sunday, his tone seemed to have shifted. In an interview with 60 Minutes, the president lashed out at a journalist after she read parts of the manifesto. Trump said another dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days.
