Guests take cover after U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner by Secret Service agents after a loud, unidentified noise, in Washington, D.C., U.S. April 25, 2026. Picture taken using a mobile phone. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
The White House Correspondents' Dinner was initially set to resume after gunfire forced Trump and his party to evacuate, leaving a CNN anchor taken aback.
CNN reporter Brianna Keilar called it "difficult to fathom" that the event would carry on "because I just can't describe even the scene and just how scared everyone had been."
C-SPAN reported that President Donald Trump was initially expected to return to the dinner. Keilar said it seemed like the dinner would restart "momentarily" even though there was "a lot of commotion here right now."
However, the president later confirmed the event would not go on as he had hoped.
"Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately," Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after expressing hope the event would still go on. "I will be giving a press conference in 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room."
Trump said first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and all Cabinet members were in "perfect condition" and declared they would reschedule it within 30 days.