A former Head of Royal Protection has condemned the security lapses that allowed a gunman to nearly storm a dinner attended by Donald Trump, just two days before King Charles's state visit to the United States. The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday evening was abruptly interrupted when shots were fired outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton. Officials later reported that a man armed with a handgun, shotgun, and several knives had rushed security, and it was believed he was targeting the President and other administration officials.
The incident prompted a review of security measures ahead of King Charles's arrival in the US, with Buckingham Palace confirming yesterday that the visit would proceed as planned. However, Dai Davies, who served as head of the Royal Protection Command from 1994 to 1998, stated that the security situation at Saturday's dinner raised serious questions. He told Metro: 'There was no – as I'm told – initially any real screening of people arriving there. I find that unbelievable, frankly. Even though these things have been going on for years, one has to say, what on Earth was going on?'
Several journalists present at the dinner, where the President was scheduled to address top figures from the US media industry, have highlighted seemingly lax security measures. The BBC's Gary O'Donoghue noted that a man at the door 'only took a cursory look at my ticket from what must have been six feet away,' while Katy Balls of the Times wrote that some attendees 'managed to get close to the ballroom without a ticket.'
CCTV Footage Raises Concerns
A CCTV clip shared by President Trump on his Truth Social feed showed a man sprinting through a hallway past security guards, who took time to react. Mr. Davies questioned: 'How he was able to run past that security point with no real obstacles other than a slightly bored-looking security man looking in the wrong direction, as I saw it?'
Secret Service Response
Sean M. Curran, the director of the US Secret Service, stated yesterday that the incident 'shows that our multi-layered protection works.' He added: 'It's not easy, and I will tell you that they performed admirably. We got to see what they do. And that individual, when he charged a checkpoint, was apprehended.' However, Mr. Davies remained unconvinced, saying: 'According to them it all went tickety boo. I have to say, and I'm sitting from an armchair, it didn't look that tickety boo to me.'
The former top Met police officer also criticized the actions of agents inside the ballroom. He said: 'The key thing is to be aware of antecedents, be aware of the threats and make contingency plans to ensure not only you keep them safe but, in the event of something, you can get them out of it. I was again watching very carefully how they tried to get those VIPs and vice presidents out – there was some congestion in parts, and that isn't good. There are key lessons – and clearly I wasn't there, I don't know the geography, but I'd be asking for a fundamental review and assurances.'
Security Recommendations for King's Visit
When reviewing security for the royal trip, Mr. Davies emphasized that the Palace's focus would be on areas with public access. 'I would be creating a firearm-free zone for considerable distances,' he said. 'I'd be looking at the search techniques, I'd be looking at the strategic positioning of the security service, particularly for line of fire.'
King Charles will begin his state visit by meeting Trump at the White House, before addressing Congress tomorrow. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump praised the King as 'brave' for proceeding with the visit. When asked if this implied there is still some risk involved in the trip, Mr. Davies replied: 'There's always a risk. You can never be 100% sure.'
