“I Wasn’t Worried”: Trump Remains Unfazed After Gunfire at Press Dinner
Despite a gunman breaching the security perimeter and firing shots at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the nation’s capital, President Donald Trump claims he felt entirely unthreatened in an interview with CBS.
Following the chaotic evacuation of the president, the first lady and over 2,500 attendees, Trump reflected on the terrifying moments as security swarmed the ballroom.
«I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,» Trump stated bluntly during a CBS News interview when asked if he feared there would be mass injuries.
The disruption unfolded at the Washington Hilton, the very same hotel where Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt 45 years ago.
A hostile exchange over the shooter’s manifesto
The sit-down interview quickly deteriorated into a hostile clash when journalist Norah O’Donnell read direct excerpts from the suspect’s manifesto which labelled the president a paedophile, rapist and traitor. Trump lashed out at O’Donnell for platforming the attacker’s words.
«You read that crap from some sick person?» he fired back defensively. «You shouldn’t be reading that on 60 Minutes. You’re a disgrace.»
The situation at the hotel was swiftly contained by law enforcement. While one Secret Service agent took a round to his protective vest, there were no casualties. Rather than retreating, the president insisted that the press gala must be rescheduled within 30 days to project strength.
«I don’t want to see it be cancelled,» Trump declared. «I think it’s really bad for a crazy person to be able to cancel something like this.»
Details emerge on the alleged gunman
Authorities have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a part-time teacher and independent game developer from Torrance, California. Heavily armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, Allen attempted to storm a security screening point at the Washington Hilton before firing at a Secret Service agent. He was swiftly apprehended in the hotel lobby.
Allen, who previously interned at NASA and holds a mechanical engineering degree from Caltech as well as a master’s in computer science, had no prior criminal record. Ten minutes before the attack, he emailed a manifesto to his family explicitly stating his intention to target Trump administration officials.
Allen now faces federal charges including the use of a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. He is expected to appear in court on Monday.
