Karoline Leavitt says President Trump was eager to return to the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner after shots were fired at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026. She described him as a 'caged lion' pressing his Secret Service detail to let him go back onstage. The suspected shooter, identified as Cole Allen, was arrested and reportedly named administration officials in a manifesto. Trump later held a White House news conference and renewed calls to build a secure White House ballroom.
‘Caged Lion’ Backstage: Leavitt Says Trump Pressed To Return To WHCA Dinner After Shooting
WHCA dinner
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has offered new behind-the-scenes details about President Donald Trump's response after gunfire erupted at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner on April 25, 2026.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and US President Donald Trump attend the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC, on July 24, 2026. The 2026 WHCA Dinner was originally scheduled for April 25 at the Washington Hilton, but was rescheduled and relocated after an alleged gunman breached security.
Speaking on "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," Leavitt described the president as restless and determined to return to the ballroom even after being evacuated. She compared his behavior to a trapped animal eager to go back onstage.
Armed Secret Service agents stand on stage during a shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C. According to reports, President Donald Trump and other government officials were evacuated from the venue after gunshots.
'He was like a caged lion backstage, just roaring to get out, like, "We gotta go back out there,"' Leavitt recalled. 'And I'm sitting there like, "I don't know if I want to go back out there."'
The gala, originally scheduled at the Washington Hilton, was disrupted minutes after it began when an alleged gunman entered the venue. Guests dived under tables as security personnel evacuated senior officials, including President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, who were escorted out by the Secret Service.
US President Donald Trump holds a press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, shortly after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25, 2026.
Authorities identified the alleged shooter as Cole Allen of Torrance, California. Reports say he was armed, was quickly apprehended by Secret Service agents and authored a manifesto that named Trump administration officials as targets, with one reported exception.
Leavitt said Trump pressed his security detail to allow him to return, telling agents he would "wait all night" and insisted the event be restarted even if it meant waiting until the early hours. White House staff began evaluating options to resume the dinner while also addressing immediate security concerns.
Rather than return to the ballroom that night, the president later held a news conference in the White House briefing room alongside senior officials to recount the events and respond publicly. In the aftermath, Trump renewed calls for constructing a secure ballroom at the White House to host official events with enhanced protection.
The WHCA Dinner was later rescheduled and relocated; Trump attended the rescheduled event on July 24, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. Leavitt's full interview on "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" is slated for release on YouTube, Spotify and Apple, where she expands on the administration's immediate reactions.
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