How the White House Correspondents' Association dinner chaos unfolded

Hundreds of journalists, celebrities and politicians, including President Donald Trump and the two men next in line to succeed him, had taken their seats at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Saturday night when, one floor above, a man rushed toward a Washington Hilton Hotel security checkpoint armed with guns and knives

Hundreds of journalists, celebrities and politicians, including President Donald Trump and the two men next in line to succeed him, had taken their seats at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Saturday night when, one floor above, a man rushed toward a Washington Hilton Hotel security checkpoint armed with guns and knives.

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In the ballroom, big-band music played while guests in tuxedos and gowns talked over their appetizers. On the dais, the evening’s entertainer, Oz Pearlman, leaned over Trump to show him a mind-reading trick as the association’s president, CBS correspondent Weijia Jiang, watched. The following account is based on video footage and interviews from the event.

Add NBC News to GoogleWatch as Trump is evacuated from the White House Correspondents' dinner00:47Next to Trump, first lady Melania Trump turned to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Vice President JD Vance sat a few chairs down. Elsewhere were various members of Congress and Trump’s Cabinet — including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.