Trump said in his first remarks that those who ‘make the biggest impact’ are the ones shooters ‘go after’
When shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, the scene turned into sudden chaos inside a packed ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where panic quickly spread after apparent gunfire was heard. Video from inside the venue showed attendees ducking under tables as security moved to evacuate the room.
President Donald Trump was rushed out of the ballroom shortly after the event began in earnest. The disruption came as many high-profile guests were still arriving or settling in for the evening program.
The incident also carried a particular resonance for several attendees who have previously been affected by political violence, including Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk, underscoring the heightened sensitivity around security at major political gatherings.
At a late-night press conference at the White House on Saturday, President Trump reflected on the attack, suggesting that high-profile public figures are often targeted because of their visibility and influence.
“The people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that [shooters] go after,” Trump said. “They don’t go after the ones that don’t do much because they like it that way.”