‘I wasn’t worried’: Trump downplays White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, pushes to reschedule gala within 30 days

US President Donald Trump said he “wasn’t worried” as gunfire disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, insisting security acted “professionally” and urging the event be held again soon, even as he clashed with a CBS interviewer over the attacker’s manifesto and political rhetoric.

In an interview with 60 Minutes hours after a gunman breached security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump struck a defiant tone, saying he remained calm during the chaos and even wanted to return to the ballroom after being evacuated.

Also read: ‘When you’re impactful, they go after you’: Trump casts White House dinner shooting as proof of his power


“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Trump said, describing the moment shots rang out at the high-profile gathering attended by top officials, journalists and guests.

The president said he initially resisted being rushed out by security personnel, wanting to assess the situation himself. He acknowledged that his hesitation may have slowed agents, before ultimately complying when instructed to get down and evacuate.

Trump credited law enforcement for their swift response, saying officers “aimed their guns” and “took him down immediately” after the suspect forced his way through security. He described the attacker’s speed as “like a blur” but maintained that the response prevented casualties.

Defiance amid security scare

Trump also sought to project resilience, revealing that after being moved to a secure holding area, he pushed for the event to continue and later returned to the White House to brief reporters.

“I wanted to go back in. I really did,” he said, adding that he did not want “a crazy person” to disrupt a longstanding event celebrating press freedom.

He called the atmosphere after the incident “totally unified” and “very beautiful,” suggesting the shared experience briefly bridged tensions between his administration and the media.

The president said he has asked organisers to reschedule the dinner within 30 days with enhanced security, arguing that cancelling it would send the wrong message.

“We can’t let something be… I think it’s really bad for a crazy person to be able to cancel something like this,” he said.

Also read: Trump says shooting suspect wrote anti-Christian manifesto

Clash over motive and rhetoric

The interview grew tense when CBS anchor Norah O'Donnell cited excerpts from the gunman’s manifesto, which included allegations against administration officials. Trump reacted sharply, calling the line of questioning “disgraceful” and rejecting the claims outright.
“I’m not a rapist… I’m not a pedophile,” he said, insisting he had been “totally exonerated.”

Trump described the suspect as “a pretty sick guy,” pointing to what he said were signs of radicalisation and concerns raised by the man’s family prior to the attack. He also linked the incident to broader political tensions, blaming what he called “hate speech” from Democrats as “very dangerous for the country.”

While acknowledging the attacker’s criticism of security lapses, Trump defended the response, saying authorities “did a really good job” and noting that the suspect was apprehended quickly.

Despite the violence, Trump said no one was killed or seriously injured and confirmed that a Secret Service agent who was struck while wearing a bulletproof vest was “a hundred percent” fine.

The US President reiterated his support for continuing the correspondents’ dinner tradition, even as investigations into the gunman’s motive continue.