Saturday marked the first time that Trump, who has frequently accused the media of lying when it is critical of him, attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner while in office. He was the first president not to attend the event. In another break with tradition, Saturday's event did not include a comedian. In years past, comedians were invited to roast the president in front of big names from US media.



However, all that paled in comparison to what happened next:

 

• The dinner event officially began at 8 p.m. (0000 GMT)


• At around 8:35 p.m., thuds were heard from the floor above the ballroom


• The sound turned chatter to silence, with some nervous reactions — Trump later said he thought it was a tray being dropped


• In fact, a gunman had rushed a Secret Service checkpoint in the lobby


• Police Chief Jeffery Carroll later said the man had been carrying a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives


• A Secret Service agent was injured and taken to the hospital, as was the suspected assailant, who had been tackled to the ground


• In the ballroom, the Secret Service sprang into action, hustling Trump and his wife, Melania, along with other officials from the stage


• Other agents jumped to cover Cabinet secretaries who were in attendance


• Guests hid under tables as armed agents seemingly appeared from behind tables, pointing rifles toward the crowd


• At around 9:17 p.m., Trump posted on Truth Social that the shooter had been arrested and that law enforcement had 'acted quickly and bravely'


• Trump said he had tried to continue the event, but was told to leave by law enforcement


• At around 10:30 p.m., Trump addressed the media from the White House


• He said the suspect appeared to be a lone gunman and joked that Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents Association, had been about to ask him a 'killer question'