An attack at a gala attended by President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials has put the event’s security arrangements under scrutiny, as the suspected shooter was set to appear in court Monday.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported Sunday that the event had not been assigned the level of security typically used for gatherings involving top officials, meaning full resources were not deployed.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley has scheduled a hearing to question the Secret Service over the security setup.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials were present at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The suspect, identified by the media as a 31-year-old man from California, allegedly forced his way through a Secret Service checkpoint while heavily armed before being stopped by officers at the gala on Saturday evening. Shots were fired and the president was taken to safety by his bodyguards.
The suspect is said to have expressed surprise at the lax security standards in a manifesto, according to media reports.
Guests were only screened shortly before entering the ballroom, rather than at the entrance to the Hilton hotel. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the arrangements, telling NBC News the system had functioned as intended and the attacker was quickly contained.
Earlier, Blanche said the suspect's motive was part of the investigation and that, based on initial findings, investigators assume the gunman had targeted members of the Trump administration.
The suspect is expected to face charges including use of a firearm in a violent crime and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Additional charges may follow.
Trump told Fox News on Sunday that the suspect had written a manifesto expressing anti-Christian views, describing him as a "sick guy."
"If you read his manifesto, he hates Christians, that's one thing for sure," Trump told the broadcaster without providing further details about the document.
U.S. government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on X that the dinner "was hijacked by a depraved crazy person who sought to assassinate the President and kill as many top Trump administration officials as possible."
Leavitt, who was also seated in the VIP area, said she was brought to safety with Trump and First Lady Melania. "President Trump was truly fearless, but as he said last night, this political violence needs to end."
The incident at the Hilton revived memories of a shooting at the same venue 45 years ago, when then-president Ronald Reagan was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt.
Trump has been targeted in multiple previous assassination attempts.
In mid-2024, the then-presidential candidate narrowly survived after a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his ear. One attendee was killed and two others were wounded, while the attacker was shot dead by security forces.
