President Donald Trump personally thanked the Secret Service agent who was shot while protecting him at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, telling reporters the officer was “doing great” after being saved by his bulletproof vest.
“He’s doing great,” Trump said during a late-night White House briefing after the attack at the Washington Hilton. “He’s in great shape, he’s in very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him. He’s a very proud guy, proud of what he does.” The president confirmed he had spoken with the injured agent and praised the protective gear worn by the officer, saying the vest played a crucial role in preventing a potentially fatal outcome.
The agent was shot at extremely close range by a suspect armed with a shotgun, a handgun and knives at a security checkpoint one floor above the ballroom where Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and multiple Cabinet members were dining. “The Secret Service agent was saved by his bulletproof vest and was in good shape,” Trump said. U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the officer had been released from hospital.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was tackled and arrested after opening fire. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Allen appeared to have targeted “folks that work in the administration, likely including the president.” Allen was expected in federal court Monday to face charges including assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer.
Trump, who was headlining the dinner, was rushed out of the ballroom by Secret Service agents after shots rang out. “Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The shooter has been apprehended.” He added that he had recommended to “let the show go on” but would be guided by law enforcement on whether to resume the event.
The White House said Trump was satisfied with the Secret Service response. “The president was satisfied with the response and grateful to the men and women who provided the response for him, his wife, and members of his team,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. She thanked the “heroic” agent who was shot, adding, “Thankfully, he was saved by his bulletproof vest.”
The incident marked the third major security incident involving Trump in less than two years, following two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is set to meet with leaders of the Secret Service and Homeland Security this week to review security protocols for major events involving the president.
Trump told reporters he believed he was the target of the attack. “It’s not particularly a secure building,” he said of the Washington Hilton, site of the 1981 assassination attempt against President Ronald Reagan. The suspect had reportedly checked into the hotel the day before the dinner and walked down 10 flights of stairs with weapons before charging past a security checkpoint.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were among the officials in attendance. Security details formed human shields and evacuated protectees after gunfire was reported.
The agent survived after his high-grade bulletproof vest absorbed the impact of the gunfire, officials said. Trump said the officer was “saved by the fact that he was wearing, obviously, a very good, bulletproof vest.”
