Trump, Melania Safe After White House Dinner Shooting Incident

President Donald Trump stated that he and First Lady Melania Trump were safe following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Trump initially mistook the loud noise for a falling tray before realizing it was gunfire, praising the swift response of security personnel.

Account of the Incident

Speaking from the White House briefing room, Trump described the immediate aftermath of the event:

• Initial Confusion: "I thought it was a tray going down," Trump stated. "It was pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away."
• Realization: He noted that while the suspect was apprehended, the sound was confirmed to be a gun.
• Evacuation: Trump emphasized the speed of the evacuation, stating, "We were whisked away, along with other people… And again, the performance of the Secret Service and the police, all of the law enforcement, I thought it was really good. So it was very quick."

Security Response Praised

Trump commended the coordination of law enforcement agencies, noting the rapid response time:

• The evacuation was described as happening in "a matter of seconds before we were out the door and gone into an area."

Statements on Security and Aftermath

When questioned by the President of the White House Correspondents’ Association, Weijia Jiang, about his reaction given past threats, Trump offered reflections on the shock of such events.

• Trump acknowledged the shock, stating, "It’s always shocking when something like this happens, happened to me little bit. And that never changes."
• He mentioned that the First Lady immediately recognized the noise as something alarming, but they were quickly moved to safety.
• Concluding his account, Trump stated that the sound could have been "either a tray or a bullet."