Trump Downplays Fear After White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting

Speaking in an interview with CBS News, Trump said, "I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world... Right around that point... I saw the scene... and she looked very upset about what just took place."

He added, "By that time I think she realised ahead of time that that was more of a bullet than it was a tray," referring to the moment the First Lady grasped that the sounds heard were gunshots and not routine noise from the ballroom.

The President further described how he initially hesitated to move as security personnel responded. "It was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening... I wasn't making it that easy for them," Trump said, adding that he told agents, "Wait a minute... lemme see," before realising the gravity of the threat.

He acknowledged that the situation quickly escalated into "a bad problem, a different kind of problem."

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly attempted to breach security at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Hilton and fired shots before being subdued by the United States Secret Service.

Authorities confirmed that the President, the First Lady, and Vice President JD Vance were safely evacuated, though a security officer was injured during the response.

Trump also strongly rejected allegations referenced in the suspect's manifesto, which broadly accused "administration officials" of serious crimes and appeared to link him to controversies involving Jeffrey Epstein. "I read the manifesto. You know, he's a sick person... I'm not any of those things," Trump said, adding, "I'm not a rapist... I'm not a paedophile," while asserting he had been "totally exonerated."

According to US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, preliminary investigations indicate the suspect may have been targeting members of the Trump administration. He said authorities are examining the accused's electronic devices, travel history, and personal associations to determine motive and intent.

Trump defended the response of security personnel, stating, "Those guys did a good job last night. They did a really good job," crediting the Secret Service for swiftly containing the situation.

- ANI