Trump safe after evacuation from shooting at gala dinner

U.S. President Donald Trump was evacuated from a gala dinner with news media on Saturday, as a shooting at the Washington Hilton sent Cabinet members ducking under tables and turned the sprawling venue into a massive crime scene.

Federal and local law enforcement officials said a suspect was taken into custody. At a White House press conference late Saturday night, Trump said that he had spoken with a Secret Service officer who was shot and hit in the vest at the scene and is now “doing great.”

“It’s always shocking when something like this happens,” said Trump, who praised law enforcement for responding so swiftly.

The president promised to reschedule the dinner soon, projecting a sense of calm and telling reporters breezily that politics is a dangerous line of work.

“It comes with the territory,” Trump said.

At a separate briefing, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said the suspect would be charged with assaulting a federal officer using a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Pirro said the person would be arraigned on Monday, and did not rule out possible terrorism charges as the investigation develops.

“This individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro said.

In a post on Truth Social earlier, Trump said law enforcement asked him to leave the event. Trump said he would give a press conference later Saturday evening from the White House and said the event would soon be rescheduled.

Trump and other administration officials were ushered out of the dinner as guests were forced to duck due to the threat.

A statement from the FBI said a subject was in custody. Law enforcement is “actively assessing the situation,” the Secret Service said in a statement.

A POLITICO reporter at the dinner said they heard several loud bangs while seated at their table. They then saw Secret Service agents rush the stage to secure the president and were told to duck under their table.

The president was joined at the event by a host of White House officials, including Vice President JD Vance, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

“Everyone started ducking,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who was in attendance at the event, told POLITICO.

“They did kind of a Butler [Pennsylvania] job on him. They shielded him and escorted him out,” Makary added, speaking of the president.

Makary, a former surgical oncologist, said that he was on the lookout for anyone injured.

“Sick people out there in this world,” he said.

Megan Messerly, Meredith Lee Hill and Aaron Pellish contributed to this report.