Trump ‘was still focused on optics even as gunman tried to barge into ballroom’

When shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last night, the Vice President was ushered off stage quickly, followed by Donald Trump.

The President was seen standing up with the help of the Secret Service, before walking slowly off stage and being forced to hit the ground for shelter.

Even in a moment which could have threatened his life, security expert Will Geddes told Metro that the President appeared to prioritise a show of strength.

‘Trump has previously leaned into dramatic moments, projecting strength and resilience,’ he said.

‘He may have been thinking about optics, leaving in a controlled, composed way rather than being rushed out.’

Trump’s seemingly delayed response to a threat was eerily reminiscent of his 2024 assassination attempt, in which he stood up, ear bleeding, and urged the crowd to ‘fight’, as Secret Service tried to shield him.

The latest instance of political violence in the United States, however, has drawn attention to security protocols for the Commander-in-Chief.

Geddes added: ‘This was a shocking failure by the Secret Service. When overseeing events for the heads of state, you are managing anything that could get in. Not even a mosquito should be able to get in, especially not when the President of the United States is hosting an event.’

The Times Washington editor, Katy Balls, observed: ‘There were signs that the security was more lax than expected. To enter the ballroom for the dinner, there was a full security screening.

‘However, to enter the hotel to go to a drinks party or the main bar, there was little in the way of checks. Guests noted that there were few security checks on entry, while some attendees said they had managed to get close to the ballroom without a ticket.’

Officials said the suspect in the shooting – named as Cole Tomas Allen, 31 – had been staying at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event was taking place, so questions have been raised as to whether guests of the hotel were properly vetted.

‘Unless you take complete control of the hotel, there’s always a risk. That risk increases significantly when you’re dealing with someone like the President of the United States,’ Geddes added.

‘Trump is one of the most polarising figures in the world right now, and there will inevitably be individuals who want to target him.’

Violence is ‘American as cherry pie’

Targeting is something Trump – and many political leaders before him – is all too familiar with.

‘Political violence was normalised in the United States a long time ago,’ Dr Dafydd Townley, Senior Teaching Fellow in International Security at the University of Portsmouth, told Metro.

‘H. Rap Brown said, “Violence is as American as cherry pie,” and he was quite right.’

The United States, one could argue, was forged through political violence – the American Revolution.

Dr Townley argues that it became mainstream with Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in the 1800s, but violence has always been a quiet undertone of American politics.

This violence is ‘nothing new’

Dr Townely pointed out: ‘We’ve seen increasing assassination attempts, plots, and conspiracies to kill presidents—but not just presidents.

‘Members of Congress and anyone particularly active in pushing forward an agenda that opposes someone else’s position can become a target.’

Within the past two years, Charlie Kirk was killed, there have been two assassination attempts on Donald Trump and the killing of Congresswoman Melissa Hortman in Minnesota.

Though these recent incidents are headline-grabbing and exacerbated by political divisions in the US, the violence itself is ‘nothing new’, Dr Townley said.

‘The United States has been deeply divided since the end of Bill Clinton’s second term, particularly following his impeachment. There was a brief period of unity after 9/11, but that quickly fell apart,’ he said.

‘We’ve also seen the rise of vitriolic grassroots movements like the Tea Party and the MAGA movement, which have contributed to these divisions. Some of that will inevitably spill over into violence.’

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