In his first reaction to the shooting incident that targeted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, US President Donald Trump confirmed that this incident was not related to the war with Iran, and stressed that the incident “will not stop him from winning” this war.
During a press conference held at the White House, Trump stated that he believed he was the potential target of the attack, saying: “I think so,” and noted that the attacker was carrying “a number of weapons and wearing a bullet-proof vest,” and that he was able to pass a security checkpoint before a security guard could hit him.
He also stated that the available information indicates that the attacker acted alone, and described him as a “potential killer,” to emphasize the seriousness of the incident.
It should be noted that members of the Secret Service quickly evacuated Trump and his wife Melania from the concert hall in a Washington hotel, immediately after hearing the sounds of gunfire, which led to a state of chaos in the place.
About an hour after his evacuation, Trump announced through his account on the “Truth Social” platform the arrest of the shooter, and praised the performance of the security services, saying: “An eventful night in Washington. The Secret Service and law enforcement forces did a wonderful job.”
The hall witnessed moments of panic and dismay, as the attendees stopped speaking as soon as they heard the sounds of gunfire, and voices shouted “Get down,” while hundreds of invitees took shelter under the tables, and Secret Service agents in their uniforms headed into the hall to secure the place.
Trump and his wife also took shelter behind the podium before they were quickly evacuated, while a large number of attendees, estimated at about 2,600 people, hid as hotel employees fled towards the front of the hall.
