Shots fired at White House dinner; Trump evacuated

The incident began when a suspect charged at a Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel lobby armed with multiple weapons, according to D.C. police. The suspect exchanged gunfire with law enforcement and was tackled before being taken into custody. Authorities said the suspect was not shot but was taken to a local hospital. A Secret Service agent struck in his bulletproof vest was released from the hospital earlier today, a source said. The suspect is believed to have acted alone, authorities said.

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, according to a federal official familiar with the case. Allen had a rifle and a handgun on him when taken into custody, authorities said. His guns were legally purchased, according to a senior law enforcement official and law enforcement documents. Records show Allen purchased a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025. One person is in custody and will be arraigned on two charges, said Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

Police shut down roads and prevented traffic near the incident, according to major media reports. Dozens of emergency vehicles rushed to the scene. A large police cordon surrounded the hotel, keeping people more than 200m away. Locals living nearby were prevented from entering their homes for over an hour.

Preliminary findings suggest the suspect was targeting administration officials, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

President Trump was evacuated from the hotel, according to an Express reporter outside. Work on the ballroom has been repeatedly halted by legal roadblocks, though an appeals court earlier this month allowed construction to proceed, according to research from three sources.

In a separate development, President Donald Trump endorsed Steve Hilton for governor of California, according to research from three sources. Hilton previously served as a top aide to David Cameron from 2010-12, but later grew critical of Cameron's immigration policy. He went on to host a Fox News show and continues to contribute. Hilton is running on a platform of lower taxes, cutting the state budget, and lowering housing and other costs. He joined Stanford University as a visiting scholar in 2012 and said he was applying for US citizenship in 2019.

Hilton is one of 10 total candidates running in the 2 June primary, according to research from three sources. The top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. Democrats dominate California state politics, but Republicans view this as a rare chance to capture the governor's mansion due to a splintered Democratic field. Republicans have not won a statewide election in California in two decades. A March poll by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies suggested Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco were ahead of the Democratic contenders.

Trump's backing could become a hindrance if Hilton faces a Democrat in November in the liberal-leaning state, according to research from three sources. Trump's endorsement may squeeze out the other Republican, Bianco, leaving the door ajar for a Democrat.

Several unknowns remain. The motive of the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, has not been determined. It is unclear whether any other individuals were injured besides the Secret Service agent. The specific charges the suspect will face have not been announced. How the suspect gained access to the hotel with multiple weapons is under investigation. It is not known whether the White House Correspondents' dinner will be rescheduled.