US President Donald Trump and other top administration officials were likely targets of a gunman who tried to storm a White House correspondents’ dinner, the acting US attorney general said on Sunday, after a major security breach in the heart of Washington.
Chaos erupted at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night as shots were fired near a security checkpoint outside the subterranean ballroom where the glitzy, high-profile event was being held.
Secret Service agents, weapons drawn, rushed to evacuate the US president, first lady Melania Trump, and Vice-President J.D. Vance while hundreds of guests dived to the floor among tables for cover. They were uninjured as the event broke up and the first family returned to the White House.
A short while later, the social media-gripped president posted about the incident.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” Trump recounted. “They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended.
“The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition.
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Trump uninjured after shots fired at White House correspondents’ dinner
Trump uninjured after shots fired at White House correspondents’ dinner