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The incident at the White House correspondents’ dinner is one of a series of security incidents involving Trump since 2024.
Published on 26 April 2026
Donald Trump and top White House officials were evacuated from an annual media event when an armed man entered the lobby and opened fire.
The suspect was arrested and taken into custody Saturday night during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel. US media identified him as Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch said charges would be filed soon. It is unclear whether the suspect was planning to target Trump.
US Presidents have been involved in various security-related incidents, including assassination attempts, during their presidency and election campaigns.
Here is a timeline:
July 2024 – Trump shot at Pennsylvania rally
The US President was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler County on July 14, 2024, three months before he was elected to a second term.
While Trump was speaking to the crowd, at least five gunshots were heard around 6:15 pm (22:15 GMT). He fell down, while several US Secret Service agents rushed to the stage to save him.
Several minutes later, agents helped him to his feet and escorted him off the stage to his motorcade, blood visible on his right ear and blood smeared across his face.
The Secret Service shot the suspect within seconds of the shooting. Before being taken away, he was seen raising his fists and shouting, “Fight!” Towards the crowd.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later named the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
September 2024 – Second assassination attempt
On September 15, Trump was at his West Palm Springs resort in Florida when the incident occurred at 2 pm local time (18:00 GMT).
According to local media reports, Trump was walking with his friend and now envoy Steve Witkoff between holes five and six at his golf course when gunshots were heard. The course was immediately discontinued.
Authorities said a Secret Service agent spotted a gun barrel in some bushes along the course. Several officers fired at least four rounds at him. It is unclear whether the suspect returned fire at the agents.
The suspect was identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Roth.
Prosecutors said Routh had lived in South Florida for about a month, and mobile phone records placed him in the area around golf courses and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
In February, Routh was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to assassinate Trump.
September 2025 – Off-duty policeman infiltrates Trump’s security team
According to US media reports, Melvin Ing, an officer of the New York Police Department (NYPD), arrived at the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Bethpage Black Course in New York armed and in full tactical gear and pretended to be part of Trump’s security squad.
It was later revealed that Eng was on sick leave, had no official assignment to be part of the President’s detail and had no role in the program.
The incident reportedly led to Eng being suspended pending further investigation by the NYPD.
February 2026 – Gunman dies after hitting security cordon at Trump’s home
A man carrying a gas can and a shotgun was fatally shot by Secret Service agents after crashing his vehicle into the security perimeter of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The President was in Washington at that time. Police identified the attacker as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of North Carolina. His family has reported him missing and it is unclear what his motive was.
