April 26, 2026, 8:44 p.mApril 26, 2026, 8:44 p.m
Donald Trump at the press conference after the attack.Image: keystone
After the shooting at a gala dinner with US President Donald Trump, investigators are looking for the suspect’s motive and specific target. The armed 31-year-old tried to storm the banquet with the capital’s press in Washington on Saturday evening (local time), but was overwhelmed by security forces.
US President Donald Trump, his wife Melania and several cabinet members remain unharmed. A security guard is shot but is later released from the hospital. But the shock is deep. Trump later described the suspect as a “would-be assassin.”
Suspect in court on Monday
According to Justice Minister Todd Blanche, investigators believe that the alleged shooter had targeted members of the government based on initial findings. It is still being examined whether Trump himself was the target; the suspect is not cooperating with the investigators. The man is scheduled to appear in court in Washington on Monday. Government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt viewed the attack as an attempted assassination of Trump.
According to Trump, the man is “a sick person, a very sick person.” Under the impression of what had happened, Trump appeared before the press visibly shaken. “In light of the events of this evening, I call on all Americans to commit wholeheartedly to resolving our differences peacefully,” he said. “We must… we must resolve our differences.”
Incident shortly before King Charles’ visit
After the dinner shootings in Washington, plans for the British royal couple’s state visit to the USA are being reviewed. This was announced by Buckingham Palace, according to the British news agency PA. From Monday, the British King Charles III. and Queen Camilla are visiting the USA for a state visit lasting several days.
The suspect is said to be a 31-year-old from Southern California, as several US media outlets consistently reported. The man is said to have worked as a teacher and video game developer, it is said, citing the man’s alleged LinkedIn profile. On Sunday night (local time), the Federal Police FBI searched the suspect’s house in Torrance, a suburb southwest of Los Angeles.
According to Trump, there is a manifesto from the suspect
According to Trump, the man had written a manifesto with anti-Christian views. «If you read his manifesto, you realize that he hates Christians. “That’s for sure, he hates Christians,” Trump told Fox News. The president did not provide any further details about the document. Trump called the attacker a “crazy guy.” Family members even provided information about the anti-Christian views to the security authorities.
At the gala dinner with the capital’s press, the man stormed through a security gate and was overpowered by security forces. Shots were fired and the president was brought to safety by his bodyguards. The man was armed with a shotgun, handgun and several knives. According to Trump, a Secret Service officer was hit by at least one bullet and saved by his protective vest.
Criticism of security precautions
The attacker was a coward who tried to cause a “national tragedy,” said Matthew Quinn, deputy director of the Secret Service, in a statement on X. The suspect underestimated the Secret Service’s security precautions. Several people present had previously criticized this and raised the question of how the man could have gotten this far.
According to security authorities, the perpetrator was a guest at the Hilton Hotel where the dinner was taking place. Guests did not have to go through a security gate to get into the hotel. Only when they wanted to go into the ballroom were their bags checked and everyone was led through a lock.
Advertising for new ballroom
Trump also viewed the incident as further confirmation of the controversial construction of a ballroom at the White House. “With the top-secret military ballroom currently under construction at the White House, this event would never have happened,” Trump said. “It can’t be completed fast enough!” However, the gala dinner for the capital’s press is not an event organized by the President or the White House, but rather a media event taking place elsewhere.
The incident at the Hilton Hotel brought back dark memories of a bloody incident 45 years ago. At that time, an assassination attempt was carried out on then President Ronald Reagan, which he survived seriously injured.
Trump has also been the target of assassination attempts several times. In the summer of 2024, the then presidential candidate narrowly escaped with his life when an assassin shot him at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, one bullet slightly injured his ear. One visitor died and two were injured. The perpetrator was killed by security forces. (sda/dpa)