Leaders from around the world have condemned the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night as an act of political violence and expressed relief that Donald Trump, officials and journalists at the event were unharmed.
The president and his wife, Melania, as well as members of the US cabinet, were evacuated from the ballroom at the Washington Hilton on Saturday after gunshots were heard from the hotel lobby.
Meanwhile, US law enforcement said the sole suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, had been detained and would be arraigned today in federal court.
Investigators yesterday said the gunman planned to assassinate the US president and other top officials, as scrutiny grew over the event’s security.
Muriel Bowser, the Washington DC mayor, said a lone gunman rushed at the Secret Service in the lobby of the hotel. He also said the suspect was believed to have been a guest at the hotel.
”A motive for the attack had not yet emerged,” officials said.
Jeanine Pirro, a US attorney for the District of Columbia, said the defendant was being charged with two counts of felony, firearms and assault charges. She expected more charges to follow.
Shooter targeted Trump’s administration officials
In his alleged manifesto, Cole Allen, the man accused of targeting the White House correspondents’ dinner, called himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and created a list of targets for the shooting, formatted from highest to lowest priority, with Trump administration officials at the top, according to a report from the New York Post.
The manifesto, obtained by the Post, began with apologies to those who knew the suspect and lists his motives for the shooting. It said the shooter targeted administration officials with the exception of FBI director, Kash Patel.
“I am a citizen of the United States of America. What my representatives do reflects on me. And I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.
“Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behaviour; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes,” it said.
He also described security at the event as being weak.
“Like, the one thing that I immediately noticed walking into the hotel is the sense of arrogance… The security at the event is all outside, focused on protestors and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before,” it reads.
World Leaders React
Expressing shock at the development, Britain’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
“It is a huge relief that POTUS [the president of the US], the first lady and all those attending are safe,” he wrote on X.
He added that with the incident coming just two days before a visit to the US by King Charles and Queen Camilla, “as you would imagine … our teams are working closely to ensure that security arrangements are put appropriately in place”.
King Charles III also expressed relief that Trump, his wife Melania and other guests were unharmed.
The incident came less than 48 hours before Charles and Queen Camilla begin a four-day state visit to the United States.
The British monarch was being “kept fully informed of developments”, the palace added.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, wrote on X yesterday morning: “The armed attack targeting the president of the United States last night is unacceptable. Violence has no place in a democracy. I extend my full support to Donald Trump.”
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, whose government had been locked in tense trade talks with the US, posted: “I am relieved that the president, the first lady, and all guests are safe following reports of gunfire at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington tonight.
”Political violence has no place in any democracy and my thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event.”
The Mexican plPresident, Claudia Sheinbaum, also denounced the violence saying: “It was good that President Trump and his wife are safe following the recent events.
“We send them our respect. Violence must never be the way.”
The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said he was pleased to hear all attenders were safe. “We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their swift action,” he said in a statement.
The British ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, and some embassy officials were in attendance at the dinner. Turner said on X that he and others were “grateful for the swift and professional response of the Secret Service”. He added: “We are thankful that the president and those in attendance were unharmed and our best wishes are with the injured officer.”
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed her relief that the president and his entourage had not been injured. She posted on X: “Political violence has no place in a democracy. An event meant to honour a free press should never become a scene of fear.” She said she wished the injured officer “a swift recovery”.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the Spanish people condemned the attack. He wrote on X: “Violence is never the answer. Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence and peace.”
Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s Prime Minister, wrote in a post that there was no place for political hatred. She said: “No political hatred should find a place in our democracies. We will not allow fanaticism to poison the spaces of free debate and information.”
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X: “Relieved to hear that Donald Trump and Melania Trump and everyone attending the White House correspondents’ dinner are safe. Violence has no place in politics, ever. Thanks to the swift action of the police and responders for ensuring the safety of the guests.”
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, wrote that he was “deeply shocked by the disturbing shooting incident”. He added in his post on X: “Relieved to know that President Trump, the first lady, and other attendees are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued safety and wellbeing.”
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, said he was “relieved to learn that President Trump, the first lady and vice-president are safe and unharmed”. Modi wrote on X: “I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and wellbeing. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned.”
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he and his wife, Sara, were shocked by the attempted assassination of Trump.
“We are relieved that the president and the first lady are safe and strong,” he wrote on X. “We send our wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the wounded police officer and salute the US Secret Service for their swift and decisive action.”
Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, a Trump ally, said: “There’s no place for violence in politics”.
Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned the incident, saying: “In democracies, struggles are waged with ideas; there is no place for any form of violence”.
