Trump says he is safe after shots at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were escorted from the Washington Hilton ballroom when gunshots rang out at the start of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night.
Trump quickly walked away amid the chaos and declared that he, the First Lady and Cabinet members were safe at Truth Social.
More than 40 years ago, the Washington Hilton was the site of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981; It was a striking historical parallel with Trump being rushed out of the same hotel after gunfire erupted on Saturday night. It is not yet known whether Trump was targeted in the chaos on Saturday evening.
John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan six times after he made remarks to members of the AFL-CIO. One of the bullets ricocheted off the presidential limousine and hit Reagan in the chest.
Secret Service agents put Reagan in a car and he was quickly taken to George Washington University Hospital. He had a reputation for being cheerful when he was about to receive treatment.
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Security officials react when a gunman opens fire during the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner in Washington, DC, April 25, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Three more people were shot, including press secretary James Brady, a police officer and a Secret Service agent.
President Ronald Reagan waves to onlookers just before John Hinckley Jr.’s attempted assassination outside the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on March 30, 1981. James Brady appears third from left. (White House/Getty Images)
Brady was shot in the eye and suffered brain damage. He ultimately died in 2014, and law enforcement ruled his death a homicide due to its connection to the 1981 shooting.
The hotel has since been called the “Hinckley Hilton” by locals.
First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump attend the White House Correspondents’ dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. This marks President Trump’s first appearance at the annual political press gala while in office. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
Hinckley was acquitted of attempting to assassinate the president on an insanity defense. His lawyers noted his narcissistic personality disorder and his obsession with the movie “Taxi Driver” and actress Jodie Foster as inspiration for the attack.
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President Trump has returned to the White House and will make a statement in the White House Briefing Room.
