Trump was the attacker’s ‘target’, and in the written note he had talked about whom else to kill.

US President Donald Trump and his officials were the ‘likely’ target of the suspected gunman who tried to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said this

The suspect has been identified in American media as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen. Police said Allen opened fire near a security checkpoint during an event held at a hotel in Washington DC on Saturday. He has been arrested.

Speaking to NBC News, Blanche said the alleged gunman’s motive was still under investigation, but “initial” information indicated he was targeting officers.

The FBI’s Criminal Division and Terrorism Task Force are investigating this incident.

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After being evacuated from the venue, Trump told reporters at a briefing, “I don’t think any profession can be more dangerous.”

In a statement on Sunday, the White House said that Trump is also ‘not afraid’ after the ‘shots fired in an assassination attempt’ on Cabinet members and the President.

White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang called the attack ‘horrifying’.

Jiang, who sat next to Trump at the dinner on Sunday, thanked the Secret Service, saying their actions “protected thousands of guests.”

He said that the board will hold a meeting and decide the further process. Will issue an update as more information becomes available.

On Sunday, Trump told Fox News that the suspect had “had hatred in his heart for a long time” and that his family was aware of his “troubles.” He also said that the suspect had a ‘manifesto’.

At around 8:35 pm local time on Saturday (5:05 am Sunday morning Indian time), gunshots were heard in the lobby of the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was taking place in the ballroom on the ground floor.

The President, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were also taken out of the room by security personnel.

A video went viral on social media in which Secret Service agents were seen escorting Vice President JD Vance out of the event shortly before Trump was expelled, prompting some viewers to question the timing.

In an interview with the news program 60 Minutes on Sunday, Trump said that he stayed for a while despite the advice of agents.

“I wanted to see what was going on… I wanted to know what was going on. And then we started to realize that maybe this was a serious problem.”

At one point, Trump said security personnel told him to bend down and “get on the floor.” He praised his security team, calling them ‘excellent people’.

Law enforcement officers engaged and restrained the alleged attacker and the suspect is ‘believed to have fired his weapon,’ officials said. He was not shot, but was taken to the hospital for examination.

Police said the suspect had two guns and a knife.

Investigators are examining the material written by the suspect, in which it has been said that he specifically wanted to target administration officials.

A senior American official gave this information to CBS News.

BBC partner CBS News has seen a written document believed to be linked to suspect Cole Allen. Other American media have also reported about the same document.

It said that the attacker wanted to target members of the Trump administration. According to this, his targets were officials “from the highest position to the lowest position”.

It also said that guests and hotel staff were not his direct targets, but could be attacked if necessary in order to reach the authorities.

According to the report, her brother contacted the police in Connecticut after receiving this document. The New London Police Department in Connecticut said they were contacted just hours after the shooting and immediately notified federal law enforcement agencies.

BBC News has not independently verified the alleged documents, which have been described as a manifesto and were reportedly sent to family members before the attack.

An officer who was shot in the incident has been discharged from the hospital. Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guilielmi told the BBC that his bulletproof vest ‘helped avert a potential tragedy.’

Several BBC journalists present at the dinner described an atmosphere of chaos after the shooting.

BBC correspondent Gary O’Donohue said he heard ‘loud bangs’.

He said, “Within a few moments I thought it was a sound like the dull sound of a semi-automatic weapon.”

The room was closed for some time, after which it was announced that the event would be rescheduled for a later date and the guests were escorted out.

Blanche told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that investigators believe the suspect traveled to the capital Washington DC by train from Los Angeles via Chicago.

Allen has described himself on Linkedin as a mechanical engineer, game developer and teacher. He is a resident of Torrance, California, where an address associated with him is being searched.

Authorities said he will be arraigned Monday in federal court on charges of assault on an officer and use of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The President gave a briefing from the White House after the attack. He praised the Secret Service and said everyone in the room owed them “a great deal.”

Despite criticizing the media during his two terms as president, Trump thanked the press for its “responsible coverage” of the attack.

He also appealed to people to “resolve their differences peacefully”.

He used the incident to further his argument for building a new ballroom at the White House, writing on Truth Social that it would not have happened if “a military-level top secret ballroom was being built.”

This controversial project has faced many legal challenges.

This is the third time Trump faced assassination threats. In July 2024, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a bullet missed his ear.

In September 2024, a suspected gunman was found hiding in bushes near his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump was attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time as President. Earlier he had joined as a private citizen in 2011.

After the incident, former President Barack Obama said, “We all have a responsibility to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy.”

“It reminds us of the courage and sacrifice of U.S. Secret Service agents every day. I am grateful to them and am relieved that the injured agent will recover.”

Many world leaders also condemned this incident.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack, adding that “any attack on democratic institutions or the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “relieved” that Trump, the first lady and those attending the event were safe.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said he was “glad” that people at the scene were safe.

(Reporting with inputs from Kayla Epstein)

Published by Collective Newsroom for the BBC.