Shooting raises questions about Trump security

Experts noted that the gunman never made it into the ballroom, suggesting that the security arrangements for the event functioned as intended given the high-profile attendees.

Trump lauded the bravery of the Secret Service for escorting him and Vice-President JD Vance off the stage, saying they did a great job.

Trump criticized the Hilton as not being a particularly secure building and touted the upcoming White House ballroom as larger, drone-proof, and bullet-proof glass, calling for its completion.

Trump noted that the man at the door outside the event appeared to receive only a cursory check of his ticket from a distance of about six feet.

Gunshots shattered the revelry at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was found with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives and exchanged gunfire with officers before being stopped. CCTV footage circulated showing the suspect rushing through a Secret Service checkpoint located above the ballroom. Authorities said he was a guest at the hotel, which continued to operate as a venue for high-profile attendees.

Months earlier, Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed, while state Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot multiple times but survived.

The killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah at a Turning Point USA event was cited as part of the broader discussion of political violence, described as having occurred 'last year'.

Approximately 64 days after the Butler incident, Trump was targeted by a would-be assassin while playing a round on his Florida golf course.

In the summer of 2024, there was an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania in which a bullet grazed Trump's ear.

Data from 2023 show US Capitol Police investigated more than 8,000 threats, a 50% increase compared with 2018.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi was attacked with a hammer, resulting in a fractured skull and hospitalization.

During a congressional baseball practice in Virginia, Steve Scalise and four other people were shot and wounded.

Former President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr.; Reagan suffered a punctured lung but survived.