President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the White House on Saturday evening following a shooting that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., forcing organizers to cancel the event for the night. Officials said the dinner will be rescheduled.
Trump was joined at the briefing by Vice President J.D. Vance, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel.
First Lady Melania Trump and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt were also present.
The president confirmed that a law enforcement officer was shot during the incident but said the officer is expected to survive due to protective equipment.
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He credited law enforcement for their response and noted that the situation was brought under control.
Trump said that initially there had been an effort to continue with the evening’s program despite the disruption.
“We're not going to cancel things out because we can't do that. We wanted to stay tonight,” he said.
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He added that the circumstances ultimately made it impractical to proceed with the event.
The shooting took place during the annual dinner, which had drawn a large crowd of journalists, government officials, and invited guests.
Trump referenced the atmosphere in the room prior to the evacuation, noting the presence of individuals from across the political spectrum.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives,” Trump said.
He added, “Everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd.”
He continued, “There was a record-setting group of people. And there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together. I watched.”
Trump addressed the broader implications of the incident and urged Americans to avoid political violence.
“In light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our difference peacefully,” he said.
He also referenced prior incidents involving threats to his safety.
“In Butler, Pennsylvania, less than two years ago. You all know that story. And in Palm Beach, Florida, a few months after that, we came close,” Trump said.
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During the briefing, the president confirmed that the suspect involved in the shooting had been taken into custody.
“The man has been captured. They're going to his apartment,” Trump said.
He added, “I guess he lives in California — and he's a sick person...”
Federal authorities are continuing to investigate the suspect and examine his background.
Officials have not released additional details about a motive as of Saturday evening.
Trump also commented on the conduct of the media during and after the incident, noting what he described as restraint in coverage.
He said the response from those in attendance reflected a sense of unity during the emergency.
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The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, hosted annually by the White House Correspondents’ Association, is a high-profile event attended by members of the press, elected officials, and other guests.
Saturday’s gathering was interrupted shortly after it began, prompting a swift evacuation led by Secret Service agents.
Authorities have said the investigation remains active as law enforcement agencies continue to assess the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the actions of the suspect.
Watch President Trump's full press conference below:
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