UPDATE: The 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner has been canceled after a shooting tonight.
Despite posting earlier that he wanted the event to “go on,” Donald Trump has consented to the wishes of the Secret Service and has exited the Washington Hilton.
POTUS intends to deliver remarks from the White House in a press conference soon, WHCA boss and CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang told the remaining guests at the First Amendment celebrating event.
Trump wants the WHCD rescheduled “in the next 30 days,” Jiang told the crowd to huge applause. “We will do this again. Thank you.”
Stating that “the First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition,” POTUS posted the news of his upcoming briefing too:
The vast ballroom has emptied quickly – with many of the media and WHCA members likely heading to the White House. Law enforcement confirm at least one “individual is in custody.”
Happening live on C-SPAN and other cable newsers that cover the annual WHCD on Trump’s first appearance before the suited and booted journalist crowd as POTUS, the incident saw Secret Service and others running to the stage to haul the dignitaries out of harm’s way. At the dinner, Deadline’s Ted Johnson detailed what “sounded like four shots, and it seemed to come from the hall just outside the ballroom near my table.”
See the video Ted captured of the horrific event
PREVIOUSLY, 6:35 PM: Donald Trump insists the White House Correspondents Dinner should “go on,” despite shots being fired tonight at the event.
Calling it “Quite an evening in D.C.,” the evacuated POTUS praised “Secret Service and Law Enforcement” for a “fantastic job.”
Believed to still be in a safe room in the Washington Hilton, Trump posted online: “They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we “LET THE SHOW GO ON” but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
White House Correspondents Association president Weijia Jiang has said from the stage that the program will “resume shortly.” There have been mixed signals if the Secret Service want guests to leave the huge hotel ballroom. Attendees dropped to the floor when shots rang out soon after Trump and the First Lady had enter the room.Some have now left, some have stayed.
The presidential seal has been taken off the podium, which might say it all of what happens next.
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