White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt predicted “shots fired” in President Donald Trump’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech, moments before actual gunfire interrupted the event.
On the red carpet at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, April 25, Leavitt, 28, told Fox News, “[Trump] is ready to rumble. I will tell you, this speech tonight will be classic Donald J. Trump.”
She added, “[The speech] will be funny. It will be entertaining. There will be some shots fired tonight in the room.”
Leavitt, who is pregnant, was quickly evacuated from the Washington Hilton ballroom, along with Donald, 79, first lady Melania Trump, and other administration officials when shots were fired near the venue’s main magnetometer, according to the Secret Service.
Washington D.C. law enforcement confirmed the arrest of a 31-year-old man from California during the shooting incident. He faces charges for two counts of using a firearm and one count of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. The suspect’s motives and condition remain undisclosed.
A Secret Service agent was injured during the incident. President Trump later assured the public that the agent was recovering in the hospital, stating, “The vest did its job. I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing great.”
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner was intended to be a temporary farewell for Leavitt, who is due to give birth to her second child soon. Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, have a son, Niko, born in July 2024.
“This will likely be my last gaggle for some time,” Leavitt told reporters on Friday, April 24. “As you can see, I’m about ready to have a baby any minute, so I will see you guys very soon.”
She added, “I know you’ll be in good hands with my team here at the White House. And I know all of you have the president’s phone number personally, so I have no doubt that you will have no shortage of statements and news from this building while I’m gone.”
However, Leavitt was unexpectedly brought back to work after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, as she personally confirmed that Trump planned to hold a press conference later that Saturday night.
During his remarks, Trump expressed that he was “honored to be a target” despite several attempts on his life in recent years. Trump survived being shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, and another suspected shooter was apprehended at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.
ANGELA WEISS / AFP Ivanka Trump is recalling how she got the news that her father, President Donald Trump, was shot in the ear during a July 2024 assassination attempt. Trump, 79, survived the shooting at an open-air rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, while campaigning for a second term as president. The […]
“When you look at our great presidents, [this] doesn’t happen to people who don’t do anything,” Trump remarked.
The star-studded guest list at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner included Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk. Her late husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was tragically shot at age 31 in September 2025. CNN reported that she was seen in tears, expressing her desire to leave following the shooting.
