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Hilton Attack, Trump Evacuated
Gunfire erupted at the Hilton in Washington during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, April 25, and President Donald Trump was immediately evacuated on an emergency basis.
“Gunfire could be heard at the Hilton in Washington”
The suspect was apprehended before entering the room hosting the dinner, and only one Secret Service agent was struck by a bullet that was blocked by his bulletproof vest.
French outlet Europe 1 said the attacker was arrested before he could enter the room where the dinner was taking place, and that shots were exchanged according to police.
Trump later described the incident as being carried out by a "would-be assassin" during a White House press conference about two hours after the incident, and the event was held in the presence of Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and a large part of the cabinet.
TF1 Info reported that in the night from Saturday, April 25 to Sunday, April 26, an individual attempted to access the room hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Hilton in Washington, and Trump had to be evacuated when shots rang out.
Security Questions and Quotes
L'Opinion described how the shooter was able to penetrate with "une facilité déconcertante" into the reception room where President Trump, accompanied by members of his cabinet and White House correspondents, was dining Saturday night.
El HuffPost said the White House did not activate the maximum security level for the White House Correspondents' Dinner because the event was not designated a 'National Special Security Event' (NSSE), a category that allows the Secret Service to take full control of protection.
El HuffPost framed the controversy as shifting to what was not done, noting that access to the event was organized with centralized security control in the hotel lobby instead of the usual multiple rings of protection.
Europe 1 quoted Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche saying the attacker seemed to be aiming at high-ranking officials of the American administration, and it also reported Trump called the attacker a "lone wolf" and a "nut."
In the same coverage, Europe 1 reported that Trump said the security arrangement "was very safe," noting that the shooter had been stopped before entering the grand reception hall where the dinner was held.
North Portico Upgrades
While the White House faced scrutiny over the dinner security, CNN reported through The National Desk that the White House will make security upgrades to the North Portico, or front entrance, and that the project is expected to take months to complete.
“expected to take months to complete”
The National Desk said a White House official told CNN the front-door work is not cosmetic but focused on enhancing security, and it described a broader construction effort including a 90,000-square-foot ballroom site expected to have a drone port, sniper nests and an underground bunker.
News Radio 570 WWNC reported that the White House is undergoing major security upgrades, including work on its front door and possible new permanent fencing along Pennsylvania Avenue and around Lafayette Square, with officials saying the work should be finished by mid-September.
Forbes added that security upgrades to the White House’s front door come at the behest of the Secret Service and are expected to take until mid-September to complete, and it quoted Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum saying the North Portico columns are undergoing repairs and should be finished "very quickly."
WJRT ABC12 said the changes are aimed at fortifying the White House entrance at the North Portico, which has recently been obscured by scaffolding and a tarp as workers repair the exterior columns at President Donald Trump’s request, and it said the fortifications are expected to be complete by approximately mid-September.
