Fox News' Lawrence Jones Rips U.S. Secret Service Over White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting: 'This Was a Failure'
Fox News host Lawrence Jones criticized the U.S. Secret Service following the shooting near the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
April 26 2026, Published 4:05 p.m. ET
Fox News host Lawrence Jones blasted the Secret Service on Sunday, hours after a gunman opened fire inside the hotel hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The shooting unfolded just after 8:30 p.m. at the Washington Hilton, where authorities say an armed suspect approached a secured perimeter outside the ballroom and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement, just feet from where the high-profile event was underway.
'This Was a Failure of Leadership'
Gunfire broke out near the Washington Hilton as high-profile guests attended the annual event.
Jones didn't mince words when reacting to the incident.
"This is a failure of leadership here," he said. "The same thing continues to happen over and over again."
While acknowledging the bravery of agents on the ground, he added, "In the moment, the reaction is always a lion's heart. You see them rushing toward danger."
'Mission Success' Isn’t Enough
President Donald Trump and top officials were inside when the shooting unfolded nearby.
Jones criticized what he described as the agency's narrow focus on protecting the president above all else.
"The way they look at it is mission success is that the principal... is safe and no injury has been inflicted on him," he said. "But the problem with that is... we lost an American... as a result of them just worried about the principal.:
He stressed the number of high-ranking officials present, saying, "There was multiple Cabinet members there, their wives there, the speaker of the House... the president and the vice president there."
'Disjointed' Response Inside Ballroom
Jones described the response as 'disjointed' as agents rushed to protect multiple officials.
Recounting the moment shots rang out, Jones said the sound was unmistakable.
"When I heard the gunshots that were there — and it was very clear — I looked at one of our colleagues... and we were both sure there was a gunshot," he said.
He described a chaotic response as agents rushed to protect different officials: "You saw the barrage of servicemen and women rushing down the aisleway... jumping on tables, because they had to get to their own principals."
"And so... it was kind of disjointed," he added.
Security Breach Raises Questions
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Jones said 'we have to do better' while calling the incident a leadership failure.
Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, who allegedly advanced toward the venue while exchanging gunfire with law enforcement.
Jones also questioned how the suspect made it through security in the first place.
"The teacher of the month was able to run through a barrage of men and women through magnetometers!" he said.
He noted the limitations agents face in a crowded setting, adding, "Secret Service just can't just fire at will."
Despite praising agents’ willingness to risk their lives, Jones concluded: "We appreciate the men and women that risk their lives every single day... but we have to do better."
