LIVE: Trump survives another assassination attempt in White House after returning from crypto conference

Trump posted a statement on Truth Social after the shooting, saying Secret Service and law enforcement “acted quickly and bravely.”

He said the shooter had been apprehended and added that he had recommended letting the event continue, though he said officials would make the final call.

Trump said the night would not go as planned either way. He wrote that the evening would be “much different” and said they would “have to do it again.”

Several senior officials from the Trump administration were also at the dinner, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. After being introduced, Kash and Robert were among the high-level guests present when the room went into lockdown.

White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang later returned to the stage and said the dinner would resume. Weijia affirmed to the crowd that people wanted answers, but said there were no full details yet.

Many of the 2,600 attendees hid under tables as the shooting unfolded. Waiters also ran toward the front of the dining hall.

Shortly before security moved first lady Melania Trump off the stage, Melania appeared to notice something in the crowd and looked worried, based on a C-SPAN live feed.

Donald Trump was pulled out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night after gunfire was heard inside the Washington Hilton ballroom.

This was only hours after Trump had returned from his crypto press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

At least five shots were heard while guests were eating their first course. The sound appeared to come from the back of the room, several minutes after White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang finished speaking. Weijia had delivered remarks before the room suddenly turned into a security scene.

Trump was sitting on the front stage in between first lady Melania Trump and his Vice President JD Vance when guards moved in around him. Many people in the ballroom dropped under their tables as the noise spread through the room.

Video from the dinner showed Trump being led away from the stage seconds later. Armed guards in tactical gear then moved onto the dais with large rifles as the evacuation continued.