Trump Is Safe After Gunfire Erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

President Donald Trump and the first lady were rushed from the stage after gunfire erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night—unleashing a chaotic scene at the annual gathering of journalists at the Washington Hilton in DC.

Wolf Blitzer, the CNN anchor, was outside the main ballroom when he said he heard powerful gunfire ring out, coming from a gunman just a few feet away. “The next thing I knew, was a police officer jumped on me and threw me on the ground and laid on top of me,” he said. “It was a very frightening moment.” Video from inside the event showed armed Secret Service agents racing to the stage to quickly escort the president away as stunned guests ducked under tables.

Loud Bangs and President Trump Evacuated

"Stay down!"

Loud bangs are heard and President Trump and others are evacuated from White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Watch LIVE –> https://t.co/OQnyC97cOI #WHCD #WHCA #NerdProm pic.twitter.com/b36LtCEhnx

— CSPAN (@cspan) April 26, 2026

In the aftermath of the shooting, President Trump posted on Truth Social that “the shooter has been apprehended,” and encouraged the event to “go on.” The_New York Times_ reported that the gunman had been stopped near a security perimeter, though it remained unclear whether the shooter fired the shots within or outside that perimeter. A Secret Service agent was shot in a protective vest and taken to hospital, according to multiple news reports, though no condition was given.

We will provide updates as they become available and confirm information. Our teams are on the ground assessing the situation and investigating. All of our protectees are safe. pic.twitter.com/BYl6sR5WVU

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) April 26, 2026

In a short speech, Weijia Jiang, the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, confirmed the president and top officials were all safe, and that law enforcement had asked to clear the event.

The ballroom was filled with journalists and top Trump administration officials, including the vice president and Cabinet members, for the event that is sometimes dubbed “nerd prom.” The dinner typically celebrates the role of the independent press and gently roasts the president.

_This is a developing story. Check back for updates.