A shooting outside a Washington hotel during a high-profile media dinner has renewed concerns about security surrounding US President Donald Trump, after a suspected gunman came close to the venue where he was attending the event.
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The incident occurred late on Saturday at the Washington Hilton during the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, which draws senior politicians, diplomats and journalists. Authorities say a suspect armed with multiple weapons exchanged gunfire with security before being subdued.
Trump later remarked on the risks associated with the presidency, saying he could not imagine “any profession that is more dangerous”.
Gunman stopped near security checkpoint
Police identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen. Authorities say he was carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.
According to officials, the man ran toward a security checkpoint inside the hotel before agents opened fire. CCTV footage later shared on social media by Trump appeared to show the suspect charging toward the area before being confronted by officers.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots outside the ballroom where the dinner was taking place. Wolf Blitzer, who was attending the event, told CNN he saw the suspect fire several shots using what he described as a “very very serious” weapon.
After the shooting, Trump posted an image on social media showing a shirtless man on the floor with his hands restrained while surrounded by Secret Service personnel.
Questions over security arrangements
The suspect’s motive remains unclear, though acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators believed the man may have been targeting government officials, “likely including the president”.
Attention has also turned to security procedures at the hotel. While roads around the building were closed for hours ahead of the dinner, some attendees described relatively limited checks at the entrance.
BBC Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue, who was present at the event, said staff at the door only briefly glanced at tickets before allowing guests inside. He noted that the tickets displayed table numbers but not the names of attendees, and that identification was not checked.
Guests entered the venue through the hotel lobby before moving down escalators to reach a security checkpoint above the ballroom level.
Authorities said the suspect was staying at the hotel, which remained open to guests even as the event was underway. Access had been restricted to hotel residents and people with tickets to the dinner or related receptions.
Security response praised
Despite the breach, some security experts said the response from agents suggested protective measures worked as intended.
Former FBI agent Jeff Kroeger said Secret Service personnel quickly formed a protective barrier around Trump once shots were heard.
“They converged on the president,” he said, describing how agents shielded him and moved him away from danger.
Former Secret Service agent Barry Donadio said there appeared to be “no lack of agents, officers and police” at the event.
Trump himself praised the Secret Service response and said they had done “a great job” removing him and Vice-President JD Vance from the stage after the gunfire.
The president also criticised the hotel’s layout, calling it “not a particularly secure building”. He used the incident to highlight plans for a new ballroom at the White House, which he said would include bullet-resistant glass and enhanced security features.
Rising political violence in the US
The shooting comes amid wider concerns about increasing political violence in the United States.
Data from the United States Capitol Police show that more than 8,000 threats were investigated in 2023, roughly 50% higher than in 2018.
Several violent attacks against political figures or commentators have taken place in recent years, underscoring deep political divisions in the country.
Trump has also been the target of previous assassination attempts, including a 2024 incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear.
Reflecting on the dangers faced by US presidents, Trump said he had studied past attacks on national leaders, including the 1981 shooting of Ronald Reagan.
He added that well-known leaders have historically been targets, citing the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 27 April 2026
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