Gunman opens fire at Washington Hilton, prompting a high-priority evacuation during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
WASHINGTON — A high-profile gathering of the nation’s political, media, and diplomatic leadership descended into pandemonium on April 25, 2026, after an armed assailant charged through a federal security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton and opened fire, striking a U.S. Secret Service officer before being tackled steps from the main banquet hall.
The gunfire triggered an immediate, high-priority tactical evacuation of President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and senior administration figures, abruptly terminating the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and instigating an expansive federal criminal prosecution.