Washington, April 27 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on said that he “wasn’t worried” as gunfire erupted during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, even as federal investigators probed the motive of a 31-year-old suspect who allegedly targeted members of his administration.
The incident unfolded late Saturday at a Washington hotel where more than 2,500 guests, including the president, first lady, vice president and senior officials, had gathered. The gunman breached the security perimeter and fired shots before being quickly subdued.
“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes in an interview, describing his reaction as security personnel moved to evacuate him.
Authorities said the suspect had emailed a “manifesto” to family members minutes before the attack, stating he was targeting administration officials. Trump described the individual as “radicalized” and “probably a pretty sick guy,” adding that his family had raised concerns about his behaviour.
Witnesses reported chaos inside the ballroom as people “hit the floor” amid what sounded like gunshots. Trump said he initially tried to assess the situation before complying with Secret Service instructions.
“I wanted to see what was going on,” he said. “They said, ‘Please go down. Please go down on the floor.’ So I dropped to the floor. So did the first lady.”
He acknowledged that the first lady appeared shaken. “She looked very upset about what just took place… who wouldn’t be when you have a situation like that?” he said, adding that she “handled it great” and “knew what was happening.”
Trump praised the response by law enforcement, noting the speed with which the suspect was neutralised. “They were so professional… and then they took him down immediately,” he said.
The president also commented on the suspect’s ability to breach security, saying, “some of these people, they may be crazy, but they’re not stupid and they figure things out.” However, he added, “he was pretty incompetent too, because he got caught.”
Despite the disruption, Trump said he wanted the event to continue. “I tried to get them to continue the event, if possible,” he said, adding later that he hopes it will be rescheduled soon. “I don’t want to have a crazy person… be able to cancel something like this.”
The president returned to the White House within hours and described a sense of unity in the aftermath. “I saw a room that was just totally unified. It was, in one way, very beautiful,” he said.
No fatalities were reported, and officials said a Secret Service agent wearing a bulletproof vest was unharmed. “Nobody was killed. Nobody was hurt,” Trump said.
Investigators are continuing to examine the suspect’s writings and online activity to determine motive. The manifesto included inflammatory language and references to administration officials as “targets,” according to excerpts cited during the interview.
Political violence has periodically cast a shadow over American public life, including past attacks on presidents and senior officials. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, traditionally seen as a celebration of press freedom, has also been a high-security event given the presence of top leadership.
–IANS
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