TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump lashed out at a journalist who read excerpts from a purported manifesto written by a security threat suspect at a media dinner on Saturday night, angrily insisting he was not a rapist or a pedophile as supporters of the attacker had suggested.In an interview with CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O’Donnell, Trump bristled when confronted with excerpts from the alleged attacker’s writings, which accused him of serious crimes. The President cut her off, calling her “disgraceful” and condemned the decision to air such claims even in the context of reporting on the suspect’s intentions.“I’m not a rapist. I never raped anyone,” Trump said, vehemently denying the allegations contained in the manifesto, which investigators say was circulated shortly before the attack. The exchange quickly turned into a broader attack on the media, with Trump accusing reporters of amplifying the words of a “sick person” and trying to discredit him on national television.The interview, broadcast less than 24 hours after the dramatic security incident in Washington, offered the first extended glimpse of Trump’s version of events. He insisted he was “not concerned” because gunfire was occurring near the venue, describing the presidency as inherently dangerous and suggesting he had become accustomed to such threats.The shooting occurred Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton, where scores of journalists, politicians and celebrities had gathered for the annual WHCA dinner – an event often called the most visible intersection of media and power in Washington.According to law enforcement officials, a 31-year-old suspect, identified as Cole Thomas Allen, tried to break through the security perimeter armed with multiple weapons, including a shotgun and a handgun, before being stopped by Secret Service agents. One officer was injured, but no deaths were reported, and Trump as well as other senior officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, were quickly evacuated.Investigators say the suspect circulated a misleading manifesto that expressed anger at the federal government and outlined a plan to target high-ranking officials. The document has become a central point of political controversy, particularly after Trump’s explosive reaction to its contents during a 60 Minutes interview.While Trump praised the Secret Service’s response as “brave and efficient”, he also made an unusual admission amid concern over the delay in evacuating the Vice President when he was taken at least 20 seconds ahead of them: The President said he may have delayed his evacuation by hesitating to follow agents’ instructions in the chaotic moments after the shooting.That admission has added to the growing controversy over security arrangements at the high-profile gathering. Critics, including former law enforcement officials, have raised questions about how a heavily armed man was able to get so close to an event attended by the President and much of the US leadership.Reports emerging over the past 24 hours point to potential vulnerabilities emanating from the venue. The Washington Hilton, a working hotel with multiple public access points near the White House, was only partially secured for the event. The suspect himself mentioned alleged security shortcomings in his articles, further raising concerns.The Secret Service has defended its performance, insisting that agents neutralized the threat before it escalated into a mass-casualty attack. But dissenting voices argue that the focus should be not just on response, but also prevention – increasing the possibility of procedural changes for future incidents involving concentrations of top officials.Politically, the episode is already reverberating across Washington. In his view, Trump has described the attack as part of a broader pattern of hostility instigated by political opponents, including the Democrats, in conjunction with the liberal media. He described the suspect as a “lone wolf”, but linked the incident to “dangerous” narratives about his presidency.Additionally, media commentators have taken Trump’s on-air outbursts as evidence of an increasingly adversarial relationship between the White House and the press. His decision to attack O’Donnell personally – particularly in response to a question based on his reporting about the suspect – has drawn criticism from those who argue that it risks legitimizing hostility towards journalists.The public reaction appears deeply polarized. Supporters have praised Trump’s forceful denial of what they see as defamatory allegations, while critics have described the exchange as emblematic of a president unwilling to engage with inconvenient facts. Despite the turmoil, Trump indicated that he did not want the WHCA dinner tradition to be disrupted, and urged organizers to reschedule the event if necessary. He said, canceling it would give a symbolic victory to political violence.
