Suspect set to appear in federal court
Allen, 31, will appear in federal court in Washington on Monday. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Saturday night that Allen will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, and predicted he will face more charges.
Allen was a guest at the Hilton. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that he was seen on security footage leaving a 10th floor room dressed in black and carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives packed inside a black bag.
Senior law enforcement sources said Allen used an interior stairwell to run down approximately 10 flights, bypassing heavily monitored public areas of the hotel.
The suspect then emerged onto the terrace level — the same level as the foyer leading to the event’s red carpet — just yards from a primary access point to the ballroom where the high-profile dinner was underway. There, he broke into a sprint.
It was then that Secret Service Uniformed Division officers confronted and tackled the suspect moments after he emerged. As part of standard protocol, officers immediately removed the suspect’s dark clothing and searched his bag to ensure he was not carrying or wearing additional weapons or explosive devices.
Trump stands by Secret Service; Susie Wiles to convene meeting to assess security protocols
A senior White House official tells CBS News that Mr. Trump is standing by the U.S. Secret Service following an attempted shooting, praising agents for their response while ordering a review of security procedures ahead of upcoming events.
The official said Mr. Trump believes the Secret Service “did an excellent job” neutralizing the shooter and moving the president, first lady, vice president and Cabinet members to safety.
Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles will convene a meeting early this week with senior administration officials, the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security to assess protocols for major presidential events.
The review will examine what worked in stopping Saturday’s attack and explore additional measures to strengthen security as Mr. Trump prepares for a series of high-profile appearances tied to upcoming national events, including the planned America 250 celebrations.
Leavitt to hold press briefing Monday afternoon
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that she will be holding a briefing on Monday at 1 p.m.
Leavitt was sitting on stage Saturday night next to Melania Trump, where mentalist Oz Pearlman had just performed a trick, saying he knew the name of Leavitt’s unborn child. He had written the baby name on a piece of paper and passed it to Leavitt when gunshots rang out.
IDs were not needed for entry to dinner
Identification did not need to be presented in order to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
CBS News’ Matt Gutman reports that only a ticket was needed to go through magnetometers and get into the ballroom where the dinner was taking place.
“Nowhere in the hotel was an ID necessary,” Gutman reported.
CBS News national security analyst Aaron MacLean said all he had to do to get into the hotel was show a screenshot of an invitation to the dinner, and that his ID was not checked at any point during the evening.
He said he was “perplexed” even before the attack about what he saw regarding security.
Inside the room where the dinner was taking place, “security was not particularly close to the principals, visibly.”
“The Secret Service agents who were visible were not very close to the president,” he said, noting there were more people behind a nearby curtain, but that “it took them time to react.”
“Once the incident happened it was a full two minutes or so before anyone came to get” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he said.
The Secret Service insists that the ballroom itself was secure, which is why they say they kept the president there.
Trump tells “60 Minutes”: “I wasn’t worried”
CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell spoke to Mr. Trump on “60 Minutes” on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the shooting.
“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump was seated next to CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang, who is the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, as well as first lady Melania Trump. When the shots rang out, the first lady looked alarmed. When asked if she was scared, Mr. Trump said, “Well, I don’t want to say, and people don’t like having it said that they were scared.”
“But certainly, I mean, who wouldn’t be when you have a situation like that?” he continued. “By that time I think she realized ahead of time that that was more of a bullet than it was a tray. And she was — I — I looked at her face just a little while ago before I came. I saw the scene. They played it for me and, you know, pretty good closeup. And she looked very upset about what just took place, you know? Why not?”
Mr. Trump called the suspect “a sick person” and said he had read his manifesto, which he said showed that the suspect was “radicalized.”
