Trump: Gunman ‘Never Came Close’ to Ballroom at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The suspected shooter ‘was very fast and they just stopped him cold,’ Trump said.
Trump: Gunman ‘Never Came Close’ to Ballroom at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Armed agents moving to the stage after loud bangs were heard during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington on April 25, 2026. Danny Kemp and AFPTV teams/AFP via Getty Images
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The gunman who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington on Saturday night “never came close” to the hotel ballroom, President Donald Trump said during an interview on April 26.

The suspect, Cole Allen, was seen on surveillance video sprinting past Secret Service agents inside the security perimeter of the Washington Hilton as the event to celebrate freedom of the press was underway.

Jacki Thrapp
Jacki Thrapp
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Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at [email protected]