'Sick' Gunman Who Stormed White House Correspondents' Dinner Was 'Targeting Trump Officials' as Chaos Erupted Inside Hotel
Chaos erupted as a gunman attempted to storm the WHCA dinner ballroom.
April 26 2026, Published 11:20 a.m. ET
Chaos erupted at the White House Correspondents' Dinner after a gunman attempted to storm the ballroom, with officials now saying the suspect had his sights set on members of the Trump administration, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Authorities confirmed the suspect was quickly apprehended, but not before panic spread through the high-profile event attended by journalists, politicians, and public figures.
New Information
Officials say the suspect was targeting members of Trump's administration.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed on Sunday that investigators believe the suspect deliberately targeted Trump administration officials.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche said: "We believe the suspect was targeting administration officials."
The alleged gunman, identified in reports as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, is believed to have traveled across the country — taking a train from California to Chicago and then to Washington, D.C. — before checking into the same hotel hosting the event.
Trump Slams 'Very Sick Person'
Donald Trump called the alleged shooter a 'very sick person' after the attack.
Donald Trump did not hold back in his response, condemning the suspect during a press briefing shortly after the incident.
"He's a sick person, a very sick person, and we don't want things like this to happen," Trump said, after confirming the suspect had been captured by Secret Service agents.
The president also shared an image of the alleged shooter on Truth Social, praising law enforcement for their swift response.
Secret Service Rushes Officials to Safety
Secret Service agents quickly apprehended the suspect at the hotel.
Following the outbreak of violence, Trump and members of his Cabinet were urged to evacuate the Washington Hilton, where the annual dinner was being held.
Although Trump said he initially resisted leaving, claiming he "fought like hell to stay," he ultimately complied with security directives.
One officer was shot during the incident, but Trump said the injury could have been far worse.
"He was wearing a very good bulletproof vest that saved him," Trump said, adding that the officer was in "great shape" and "very high spirits."
Security Concerns and Event Postponed
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One officer was shot but saved by a bulletproof vest, Trump confirmed.
In the aftermath, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been officially postponed, with Trump promising a rescheduled event within the next 30 days that would be "bigger" and "better."
The president also raised concerns about the venue's safety, suggesting the Washington Hilton lacked adequate security for an event of such scale.
"We looked at all of the conditions that took place tonight. I will say, it's not a particularly secure building," the president shared. "I didn't want to say this, but this is why we have to have all the attributes of what we're planning at the White House."
"They wanted the ballroom for 150 years for lots of different reasons, but today is a little bit different," he continued, referring to his plans to have a fortified bunker built beneath the White House ballroom. "We need a level of security that no one has seen before."
