US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCA) after reports of gunfire triggered a rapid Secret Service response.

The incident unfolded on Saturday, roughly 30 minutes into the dinner, just as guests were being served their opening course.

Attendees reported hearing a series of loud bangs, some describing them as gunshots, others as crashing plates, before security moved in.

The White House Correspondents’ Association initially indicated the event might resume, but within an hour, much of the room had cleared. The organization later said the dinner would be rescheduled.

The disruption cut short what had already been an unusual Correspondents’ Dinner. It marked Trump’s first time attending the event as president, with no traditional comedian host.

Instead, mentalist Oz Pearlman had been performing and was interacting with Trump and Melania at the time of the incident.

The event took place at the Washington Hilton Hotel, the same venue where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said the suspect “charged” a security checkpoint with multiple firearms “from 50 feet” before being apprehended by law enforcement.

Trump confirmed that one officer was shot during the incident but was protected by a bulletproof vest and is expected to be in good condition.

Flanked by officials including FBI Director Kash Patel and interim Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump said the investigation remains ongoing, with authorities executing search warrants and working across multiple agencies, including local police, federal law enforcement, and the Secret Service.

Officials did not confirm a motive, but Trump suggested that he might have been the target of the shooting.

The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, from Torrance, California, media reports said.

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