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Gunman Fires Shot at White House Dinner Security, Trump Evacuated

Published 26 April 2026

A gunman attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night, firing shots that injured a Secret Service agent outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton before agents detained the suspect and evacuated President Donald Trump and other dignitaries from the stage.

The incident unfolded during the annual event hosted by the White House Correspondents Association, where mentalist Oz Pearlman was performing an interactive trick for Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Pearlman, standing just a few feet from the president on the dais, was in the process of guessing the name of Leavitt's unborn daughter, writing "Vivian" on a notepad as the group watched. Leavitt later confirmed the guess was correct. Midway through the performance, Pearlman noticed commotion in the crowded ballroom and heard agents shouting orders to get down. He dropped to the floor alongside Trump and Melania, locking eyes with the president for several seconds amid the chaos.

Secret Service agents, some armed with long guns, rushed the stage and tackled Trump to the ground before whisking him and the first lady to safety through a...

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