![President Donald Trump speaks to reporters April 25 in the White House briefing room in Washington. [Photo: EPA/Yonhap]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/26/20260426154046873940.jpg)
According to The Associated Press and other outlets, Trump told a White House news conference he initially thought the sound was “a tray falling.” He said it was loud and seemed to come from some distance away. Trump said the suspect rushed from about 50 yards (about 45 meters) away and that Secret Service agents responded immediately. He said one agent was shot but survived because he was wearing “a very good bulletproof vest.”
Trump said he was evacuating after hearing gunfire while attending the dinner that evening at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington. No attendees were reported wounded, and the suspect was arrested at the scene.
Trump identified the suspect as Cole Thomas Allen, 31, and said, “They seem to think it was a lone wolf. I do, too.” He described Allen as someone with “very serious mental problems” and said authorities searched his apartment.
Asked about a possible Iran connection, Trump said, “I don’t think so,” adding, “But you don’t know. We’re going to learn a lot.” The article noted Trump’s approval rating has been very low amid a recent rise in oil prices tied to the Iran war. An AP-NORC poll released April 21, based on interviews April 16-20 with 2,596 U.S. adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, put his approval at 33%, the lowest of his second term.
Trump also spoke about political violence, saying participating in politics in the United States comes with a price. “Political violence is happening all over the world,” he said, adding it was hard to imagine a more dangerous job. “No country is free” of it, he said. He urged Americans to “resolve conflicts peacefully” in response to the incident.
CBS News, citing multiple sources, reported Allen told law enforcement after his arrest that he had intended to shoot at Trump administration officials.
Trump again argued the incident underscored the need to build a White House ballroom. “I didn’t want to say it, but this is why we need the facilities we’re planning at the White House,” he said, calling it a larger and safer space. He said it would be safe from drone attacks and protected by bulletproof glass, and that the Secret Service and the military were requesting it. He said there had been calls for a ballroom for 150 years, but “today is a little different,” adding that security now must be at a level “nobody has ever experienced before.”
Trump also said assassination attempts target “the most influential person,” and praised his record, saying the United States had become “the hottest country” in the world after years of being mocked. He said the shooting would not stop him from winning the war with Iran.
Appearing with Trump, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect would soon be charged, including on firearms-related counts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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