Trump voices disappointment with NATO amid WHCA dinner shooting, says "they weren't there"
Washington DC, April 27
US President Donald Trump on Sunday expressed disappointment with NATO, accusing the alliance of not showing support over the White House Correspondents' Dinner despite significant American financial support.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said, "I am very, very disappointed in NATO because they weren't there. You know, we spend trillions of dollars on NATO in order to protect Europe from Russia--and we've always been there... They can't do it without us."
Meanwhile, Weijia Jiang, President of the White House Correspondents' Association, issued a statement following the shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, calling it a "harrowing moment" while commending the swift response of security personnel.
"Last night's shooting at the Washington Hilton was a harrowing moment for everyone in attendance. We express our deepest gratitude to the U.S. Secret Service and all law enforcement personnel who ensured the safety of everyone in the ballroom and beyond," Jiang said in a post on X, adding that their actions protected thousands of guests and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured officer.
The high-profile event was attended by President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several senior officials. Authorities confirmed that all key attendees were unharmed, though a security officer was injured during the response.
Jiang further emphasised the role of journalists, stating, "Our dinner exists to celebrate the First Amendment and the hard daily work of the journalists who defend it... We are proud of everyone in that room." She added that the WHCA board would assess the incident and provide updates.
Earlier, Trump renewed his push for constructing a secure ballroom within the White House premises, arguing that such a facility could have prevented the incident. In a post on Truth Social, he said the proposed ballroom, equipped with top-tier security features, has long been demanded by US presidents and should be completed without delay.
Furthermore, US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said preliminary findings suggest the suspect may have targeted members of the Trump administration, though investigations into the motive remain ongoing. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen (31), was taken into custody after breaching a security checkpoint.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm actually with the President on this one. If America is bankrolling NATO and they can't even show solidarity when there's a security incident at a major US event, what's the point? Europe needs to step up their game. 🇺🇸
Harrowing moment indeed. But what struck me was how quickly the WHCA president thanked the Secret Service. Indian security forces are equally brave — remember the 26/11 response? Respect to all first responders globally. But this ballroom idea is absurd; build better walls, build better rooms... same old Trump.
Why is he blaming NATO for a shooting at a dinner? That makes zero sense. This is deflection. The real story is that a lone gunman nearly killed the US President and top officials. Focus on security reforms, not alliances that have nothing to do with it. 🤦♀️
From an Indian perspective, this is fascinating. We also have security challenges at high-profile events. But blaming NATO is a stretch. That said, Trump's point about European allies not pulling their weight in NATO isn't new — even our PM Modi has subtly highlighted similar issues with Western alliances not backing partners when needed.
Imagine if this had happened in India at a major event like the Parliament or a formal dinner. Our security forces would have been heavily scrutinized too. But the WHCA president's statement focusing on press freedom and First Amendment values is something we can learn from. Journalism matters, even when surrounded by chaos. 🖋️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.