Trump backing Secret Service leadership after WHCA dinner shooting
President Trump is standing by Secret Service leadership following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday.
In a statement, a senior White House official said Trump thinks the Secret Service did “an excellent job” of neutralizing the shooter and moving the president, along with first lady Melania Trump and Vice President Vance, to safety.
The official also said White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would hold a meeting at the White House early this week with the White House operations team, Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security leadership to discuss protocol and practice for large events involving Trump.
“The meeting will discuss the processes and procedures that worked to stop Saturday’s attempt, while exploring additional options to ensure all relevant components are doing everything possible to secure the many major events planned for President Trump in the months ahead as he gears up to celebrate America 250,” the official said.
Trump was swiftly removed from the dais at the front of the Washington Hilton ballroom to a special presidential suite, which was created to protect the commander in chief after former President Reagan was shot at the same hotel in 1981.
CBS News reported Sunday, citing both administration and law enforcement officials, that the suspected gunman wrote a manifesto stating he wanted to target White House officials “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.” An administration official confirmed to The Hill that the suspect wrote this manifesto.
Questions have arisen over how a shooter was able to get so close to the president and the event.
Saturday’s incident follows two assassination attempts on Trump’s life — one in Butler, Pa., and another in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump was struck by a bullet in July 2024 at the Pennsylvania event.
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