politics
April 26, 2026
I’ve covered Trump for a decade. At the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, darkness came viscerally close
Men in tuxedos and women in dresses dove under tables, like a scene from a dozen Hollywood movies, but now it was happening to me
TL;DR
- Gunfire and panic broke out at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.
- Guests, including President Trump, took cover under tables as Secret Service agents responded.
- An assailant carrying weapons rushed a Secret Service checkpoint before being apprehended; one officer was shot but protected by a vest.
- The incident highlighted concerns about political violence and the perceived "new normal" of insecurity.
- President Trump later used the event to advocate for his security initiatives.