The 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner ended early Saturday night when gunshots were heard in the lobby outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel, President Trump and his family were evacuated, and many of the journalists in attendance reported on the event in real time from their cell phones.
Attendees were quick to turn to X to describe the scene, such as Toni Morrison, who wrote, “Current: Reports of shots fired at WHCD and its agents neutralized the assailant in the lobby of the Washington Hilton. My client and I are safe and left the event 10 minutes before the incident. Colleagues and friends are on lockdown in the ballroom.”
“Scenes from the #WHCD red carpet moments after multiple shots were fired outside the door to the ballroom,” political commentator Kevin Walling wrote in X, paired with a video.
Journalist Leonard Feldman, Newsweek’s White House correspondent, wrote, “What I was aware of before entering #WHCADinner was that there were only security guards inside, outside the ballroom, not outside the building. That meant they were the only security guards at the entrance to the building, and they were only being searched in front of the ballroom.”
Kerry Kennedy, a member of the Kennedy family and a lawyer and activist, wrote on Facebook: “A loud gunshot rang out followed by ‘Stand back, stand back, stand back!'” When I hit the floor midway through a conversation with Congressman Jamie Raskin at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the congressman heroically defended me and whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.” The Boston Globe host lay on the ground furiously taking notes while thousands of journalists, photographers and editors hid under tables and chairs. Then the door swung open and dozens of Secret Service agents poured into the room, hands in holsters. They quickly summoned the ministers and pulled them to safety. Then the security guard started yelling, “Go, go, go!” and demanded that we leave. It was scary. But I remain grateful to the brave Secret Service, my friends at the Boston Globe, and especially Congressman Jamie Raskin. ”
After the incident, President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Law enforcement has been asked to leave the premises in accordance with protocol and will respond immediately. We will be holding a press conference within 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room. The First Lady, Vice President and all members of the Cabinet are in good health. We will speak within 30 minutes. We are speaking with all event personnel and will reschedule in due course.” It’s the 30th. ”
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