UPDATE: The 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner has been canceled after a shooting tonight.
Despite posting earlier that he wanted the event to “go on,” Donald Trump has consented to the wishes of the Secret Service and is exiting the Washington Hilton now. POTUS intends to deliver remarks from the White House in a press conference soon, WHCA boss and CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang told the remaining guests at the First Amendment celebrating event.
PREVIOUSLY, 6:35 PM: Donald Trump insists the White House Correspondents Dinner should “go on,” despite shots being fired tonight at the event.
Calling it “Quite an evening in D.C.,” the evacuated POTUS praised “Secret Service and Law Enforcement” for a “fantastic job.”
Believed to still be in a safe room in the Washington Hilton, Trump posted online: “They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we “LET THE SHOW GO ON” but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
White House Correspondents Association president Weijia Jiang has said from the stage that the program will “resume shortly.” There have been mixed signals if the Secret Service want guests to leave the huge hotel ballroom. Attendees dropped to the floor when shots rang out soon after Trump and the First Lady had enter the room.Some have now left, some have stayed.
The presidential seal has been taken off the podium, which might say it all of what happens next.
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