Trump posted a statement on Truth Social after the shooting, saying the Secret Service and law enforcement “acted quickly and courageously.”
He added that the shooter had been arrested, and added that he recommended that the event continue, although he said that officials would make the final decision.
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 also attended the dinner, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Following their introduction, Cash and Robert were among the high-profile guests in attendance when the room closed.
White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang later returned to the stage and said the dinner would resume. Wejia assured the crowd that people want answers, but said there are no full details yet.
Many of the 2,600 attendees hid under tables as the shooting began. The waiters also ran towards the front of the dining hall.
Shortly before security escorted First Lady Melania Trump off the stage, Melania appeared to notice something in the crowd and appeared concerned, based on a C-SPAN live broadcast.
