Donald Trump has explained why it took Secret Service personnel 20 seconds to evacuate him from a ballroom during an assassination attempt on Saturday night. Gunshots rang out at the hotel where the formal White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held, and the US President was preparing to address top US journalists on Saturday evening. Dramatic footage showed Secret Service personnel surrounding Trump and the First Lady, all while Vice President JD Vance was yanked off the stage.
Trump's Explanation
Speaking with CBS last evening, Trump explained he held up his escape because he 'wanted to see what was happening'. The Republican leader told the outlet: 'It was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn't making it that easy for 'em. I wanted to see what was going on.' He explained that he was telling them to 'wait a minute' and 'probably made them act a little bit more slowly'. Trump also addressed speculation that he took a tumble on the way off the stage, saying he was told to get down. He added: 'What happened is then I started walking with them… and they said, "Please go down. Please go down on the floor." So I went down and the first lady went down also. But we were asked to go down by the agents.'
Timeline of Trump Assassination Attempts
Several security threats have targeted Trump over the years. On June 18, 2016, during a Las Vegas rally, a British man attempted to grab a police officer's pistol. On September 6, 2017, in North Dakota, a stolen forklift was driven toward the presidential motorcade. On September 20, 2020, a ricin-laced letter intended for Trump was intercepted. On July 12, 2024, a Pakistani national was arrested for a murder-for-hire plot linked to Iran. On July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania, shooter Thomas Crooks fired eight shots from an AR-15-style rifle, wounding Trump in the ear and killing one audience member. On September 15, 2024, Ryan Routh was sighted with a rifle at Trump International Golf Club and later sentenced to life in prison. On February 22, 2026, an armed intruder was shot dead at Mar-a-Lago. On April 25, 2026, during the White House Correspondents' Dinner, gunshots rang out at the Washington Hilton hotel, with Trump and Melania being rushed off stage. The suspect, Coel Tomas Allen, was arrested on the scene.
Trump's Reaction
Trump said he was then taken 'to a hold room for a while' while he 'tried to get them to continue the event if possible'. Asked what his thoughts were during the shooting, Trump replied: 'My thought was, "You know, I've been through this before a couple of times."' But he explained how it was the first time for his wife, Melania, saying she 'handled it great'. The Washington Post reported the Trump administration provided a lower level of security for the White House Correspondents' Dinner than it has for other gatherings of high-ranking officials. A man with guns and knives tried to rush past the security perimeter inside the Washington hotel where the Republican president was about to address the glitzy event. Authorities are trying to determine what happened and why. A suspect was taken into custody and identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
Security Details
Officials have said that the suspect fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested. The agent who was shot escaped serious injury because the bullet struck his protective vest, Trump said. Allen legally bought a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun two years later.
