This Saturday, April 25, the US Secret Service evacuated the president and the first lady, Donald Trump and Melania Trump, along with other members of the Cabinet, from the room where the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) was being held, after hearing what sounded like gunshots, according to an EFE journalist who was at the event.
The apparent detonations occurred outside the ballroom where the dinner was being held, presided over by a table on a stage where the president and first lady were seated, who were evacuated shortly after the shots were heard.
Other members of the Government who had attended the gala held at the Hilton hotel in Washington were also evacuated, such as the Secretaries of State, Marco Rubio; of the Treasury, Scott Bessent; and Defense, Pete Hegseth.
Television images later showed more members of the Secret Service deploying in the ballroom and, after a few minutes, they began to ask attendees to leave the place because it is now a “crime scene,” according to the EFE journalist present at the dinner.
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING: President Trump was just rushed off the stage during the White House Correspondents’ Association after reports of shots being fired.
Armed officers are heard yelling, “Stay down!” pic.twitter.com/6dOCuEvVD3
—Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 26, 2026
BREAKING: President Trump and First Lady are rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
It is unclear what led up to the evacuation, but attendees of the event were seen on video feed ducking and covering around their tables. pic.twitter.com/GbbXmL223t
—Fox News (@FoxNews) April 26, 2026