His return to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a highly symbolic one for the relationship between political power and the media, was overshadowed by a serious security incident that caused panic and led to an evacuation of the venue.
From “festivity” to chaos in seconds
Shortly after 8:30 in the evening, in the basement of the Washington Hilton, where thousands of guests were, the atmosphere was initially familiar: hundreds of tables, conversations and a constant buzz before the official program began. Within seconds, however, the scene changed dramatically.
Loud bangs were heard from the lobby area. At first it was not clear what had happened, however it was soon confirmed that it was . For the third time in three years, the president faced the threat of armed attack. “” someone shouted.
Immediate intervention of the Secret Service
The security forces reacted immediately. Secret Service agents were removed while other high-ranking government officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also fled.
There was panic in the room, with guests taking cover under tables or heading for the exits. As described by eyewitnesses, the picture changed abruptly: people in official clothes were on the floor, while armed agents took up positions around the scene. Police and agents were giving evacuation orders, and minor injuries were reported during the evacuation.
Panic, confusion and conflicting instructions
Police were shouting orders – “Make way! Make way!” – as they led ministers and senior officials out of the room. Some were injured in the panic. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Cass Patel and others gathered outside with security forces.
For several minutes there was confusion, as there was no clear picture of what had happened, while the limited telephone coverage in the area made it difficult to communicate. There were unconfirmed reports and conflicting instructions as to whether the event would continue or be called off for good.
Trump: “I thought a disk fell”
Donald Trump left the hotel shortly before 10 p.m. and later spoke from the White House, speaking of a “” and thanking security forces for their response, while also criticizing the site’s security measures.
During his remarks, he also revealed what happened in the first moments after the shootings, describing his conversation with his wife, Melania Trump. As she said, at first she thought it was some noise, “like a record dropped”, but Melania Trump immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.
“That was a bad sound,” she reportedly told him, with him emphasizing the composure and awareness she displayed. The president described the incident as “particularly traumatic” for the First Lady, noting that the moments that followed were chaotic and sudden.
An iconic dinner with heavy history
The dinner, which is one of the most important annual events in Washington, is held throughout the years at the Washington Hilton – a hotel that has been historically associated with .
The event will be rescheduled within 30 days with Trump commenting “next time it will be very boring”.
