![\"Taoiseach](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Z7SGVMJGVBSX2AYHSFUA3EPLRA.jpg\")
Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin recently met with US President Donald Trump at the White House for St Patrick’s Day. Photograph: Niall Carson\/PA Wire British king being kept \u2018fully informed\u2019 ahead of US state visit<\/p>\nMain pointsKey readsWashington shooting \u2018very serious and shocking\u2019, Taoiseach says<\/p>\n
Taoiseach Micheal Martin had described the shooting near a White House-media gala event in Washington DC on Saturday night as \u201cvery serious and shocking\u201d – reports Olivia Kelleher in Cork.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a Chernobyl anniversary\u00a0commemoration in Cork city today, Martin insisted that there can be \u201cabsolutely no place for violence in politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur thoughts are with the police officer, the agent who was injured, and indeed with all those impacted by such an event.<\/p>\n
There is no excuse for the use of the gun in politics and we have seen far too great a frequency and occurrences of political violence across the world and in the United States as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be extremely conscious and vigilant about the proliferation of gun culture as well but it\u2019s quite shocking to see events of this kind unfold.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it was \u201creprehensible and outrageous and shocking\u201d that the US president Donald Trump – who was present at the event – had been subjected to repeated attempts on his life.<\/p>\n
Martin suggested there is a need to be \u201cconscious of our language in public life and demonising others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin added that we need to be very clear in our condemnation of political violence particularly with an increase of incidences worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin recently met with US President Donald Trump at the White House for St Patrick’s Day. Photograph: Niall Carson\/PA Wire British king being kept \u2018fully informed\u2019 ahead of US state visit<\/p>\n
Britain\u2019s King Charles<\/a> – set to make a state visit to the US on Monday – is being \u201ckept fully informed of developments\u201d following the Washington shooting.<\/p>\n The UK head of state is said to be \u201cgreatly relieved\u201d that nobody was harmed in the incident, Buckingham Palace has said.<\/p>\n Charles, who begins a four-day US state visit on Monday with Camilla, is being \u201ckept fully informed of developments\u201d after the White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner was thrown into chaos by the attack on Saturday night (US time).<\/p>\n Video footage shows the president stumbling as he was bundled from the room by secret service agents who also grabbed vice-president JD Vance by the shoulders and escorted him to safety.<\/p>\n Buckingham Palace is said to have reached out privately to the White House to express their sympathies.<\/p>\n The security around the state visit is being taken \u201cvery seriously\u201d after a gunman tried to charge a Washington gala dinner attended by Donald Trump.<\/p>\n Alleged Washington shooter thought to be targeting administration<\/p>\n US \u200blaw enforcement believes that the alleged White House \u200bCorrespondents\u2019 Dinner shooter was \u2060targeting Trump administration officials.<\/p>\n \u201cIt \u200cdoes \u200cappear \u200bthat he, he did, \u2060in \u200bfact, have \u200bset out to target \u200cfolks that work \u200bin the administration, \u2060likely \u2060including the \u200bPresident,\u201d the acting US attorney general Todd \u200cBlanche said on Sunday.<\/p>\n Blanche told NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press,\u201d adding that the suspect likely traveled \u200cby train \u2060from Los Angeles to Chicago and then \u200cto Washington.<\/p>\n The suspect will \u200bbe formally charged in \u200bfederal court on Monday with assault of a \u200cfederal officer and discharging a \u200bfirearm in an attempt to kill a federal \u2060officer, Blanche said.<\/p>\n Blanche \u2060said \u200bthe suspect was not cooperating with investigators as of Sunday morning.- Reuters<\/p>\n Von der Leyen \u2060expresses solidarity with Trump<\/p>\n European Commission president Ursula \u200cvon der Leyen said on \u200bSunday that she spoke with \u200bDonald Trump to \u2060express solidarity after a \u200bman opened fire \u2060on security \u2060personnel \u200bnear the \u200bWhite House Correspondents\u2019 Association \u200bdinner.<\/p>\n \u201cWe underlined that political violence has no place in our democracies,\u201d \u200cvon der \u2060Leyen wrote in a post \u200con social media platform \u200bX. – Reuters<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m sure some people were terrified\u2019: Former RT\u00c9 anchor recalls having to take cover\u00a0<\/p>\n Irish journalist Caitr\u00edona Perry, chief presenter for BBC News in Washington, has recalled having to take cover under a table after gunshots were heard during the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner – reports Jack White.<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard a commotion outside, loud noises, and the doors burst open. There was a kerfuffle of breaking glass and crockery, and tables being knocked over,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Perry recalled secret service agents rushing up the middle aisle with guns drawn, shouting: \u201cEveryone take cover.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody jumped under the tables in the dining room, and the agents kept running towards the podium.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you can expect in a room full of journalists, we all had our heads under the table and our hands above with our phones out, recording what was going on,\u201d Perry told RT\u00c9 Radio 1\u2019s Brendan O\u2019Connor show.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure some people were terrified because it\u2019s not what you\u2019d expect when you\u2019re in your finery,\u201d she said, though attendees \u201cwere mostly calm\u201d as the gunshots were muffled, having been fired outside the dining room.<\/p>\n Recalling hearing further gunshots after agents entered the room, Perry said it was unclear how orchestrated the attack was at the time, how many were involved or whether a gunman was inside the room.<\/p>\n Those attending the event were \u201clocked in the room for another period of time\u201d, she said, until the dinner was cancelled as it was deemed an \u201cactive crime scene\u201d.<\/p>\n Noting that the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, was a guest in the Hilton Hotel, the former RT\u00c9 anchor said this \u201cadded an extra layer to the concern that people had, that this had gotten to that point at an event which had so many members of the [Trump] administration at it\u201d.<\/p>\n Trump was set to make \u2018most inappropriate speech ever\u2019 at gala<\/p>\n US president Donald Trump said he was going to make what he called the \u201cmost inappropriate speech ever made,\u201d with some disappointment that the event was cut short by the gunman. <\/p>\n Trump is reported to have sought for the event to resume, and later vowed the dinner would be rescheduled for some time in the next 30 days.<\/p>\n His speech, however, may be rewritten, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if I can ever be as rough as I was going to be tonight. I think I\u2019m going to be probably very nice. I\u2019ll be very boring the next time, but we\u2019re going to have a great event.\u201d – Additional reporting, NYT<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s \u200cmilitary issued \u200ban evacuation warning to \u200bresidents \u2060of \u200cseven \u200cLebanese towns \u200bnorth \u2060of \u200bLitani river.<\/p>\n The development comes during a ceasefire between the two countries, with the IDF \u200bsaying \u200cit would \u200bact forcefully \u2060against \u2060Hezbollah \u200bover ceasefire violations. – Reuters<\/p>\n Political violence has no place in democracy, Harris says<\/p>\n T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris said that \u201cpolitical violence has no place in a democracy\u201d following the shooting in Washington, reports Political Correspondent Ellen Coyne.<\/p>\n \u201cMy thoughts are with President Trump, the First Lady, and Vice President Vance and all those affected by last night\u2019s events. I am relieved that no one was hurt,\u201d the Wicklow TD said in a post on X on Sunday.<\/p>\n Political violence has no place in a democracy. <\/p>\n My thoughts are with President Trump, the First Lady, and Vice President Vance and all those affected by last night’s events. I am relieved that no one was hurt.<\/p>\n \u2014 Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) April 26, 2026<\/a> Shooting won\u2019t \u2018deter\u2019 Trump from Iran war<\/p>\n Donald Trump said the shooting at the White House press dinner would not deter him from the Iran war, although he believed the incident was unlikely linked to the conflict.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don\u2019t know if that had anything to do with it, I really don\u2019t think so, based on what we know,\u201d Trump told reporters at the White House after the incident.<\/p>\n But Trump had earlier said that \u201cyou never know\u201d if it could be linked to the Iran war, and said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter who he described as a \u201clone wolf\u201d.<\/p>\n Earlier, president Trump said the US Navy is clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The vital sea route for Gulf oil is closed to most ships, putting a strain on the global economy, but experts say sweeping for underwater explosives could take months regardless of any ceasefire.<\/p>\n Any future claims that the US cleared the waterway \u2013 where 20 per cent of the world\u2019s oil typically passes \u2013 might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it\u2019s finally safe. – Agencies<\/p>\n British King\u2019s security for US trip being taken \u2018very seriously\u2019<\/p>\n The security of Britain\u2019s King Charles<\/a> during his US state visit this week is being taken \u201cvery seriously\u201d after a gunman tried to charge a Washington gala dinner attended by Donald Trump, according to a senior UK government figure.<\/p>\n UK prime minister Keir Starmer has sent a message of solidarity to Trump after the incident, chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThese are remarkable scenes. The prime minister has, this morning, sent a message to the president of the US in solidarity for the events that took place.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you would imagine, with the visit of his majesty the king this week, our teams are working closely to ensure that security arrangements are put appropriately in place.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if there are any extra concerns for the king\u2019s safety during the state visit that begins on Monday, Jones said: \u201cAs you would imagine, the Government and the Palace take the security of his majesty very seriously, and there were already extensive discussions taking place, which will continue over the coming days.\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer said he was \u201cshocked\u201d by the incident overnight: \u201cAny attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.<\/p>\n He said it was a \u201chuge relief\u201d that the president and first lady were both safe.<\/p>\n The armed assault comes just days before the state visit by the king and queen, where they are due to meet Trump and attend a White House banquet.<\/p>\n When asked about the incident and any impact on the trip, Buckingham Palace said it does not comment on security matters. – PA<\/p>\n Bulletproof vest \u2018saved\u2019 officer shot in incident<\/p>\n The officer shot while responding to the gunman rushing a Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel lobby was saved by his bulletproof vest, according to the White House.<\/p>\n The officer was \u201csaved by the fact that he was wearing an obviously very good bulletproof vest\u201d, Trump said in a press conference following the incident. <\/p>\n The US president praised the law enforcement response, and said he would have preferred to return to the ballroom to give his speech but said the gala would be rescheduled \u201cwithin 30 days\u201d.<\/p>\n Trump said the Secret Service did a better job than the assassination attempt in Butler<\/a>, noting of the suspect: \u201cHe was fast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving.\u201d<\/p>\n World leaders condemned an act of \u201cpolitical violence\u201d and expressed relief that Trump, officials and journalists were unharmed. – Agencies<\/p>\n Washington Hilton hotel \u2018not particularly secure building\u2019<\/p>\n The security of the Washington Hilton Hotel was called into question by Donald Trump in the aftermath of the security breach near an event he was attending in the hotel. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a particularly secure building,\u201d he said of the Hilton, before launching into a pitch for the necessity of his planned ballroom. \u201cIt\u2019s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to say this,\u201d he said, \u201cbut this is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we\u2019re planning at the White House. It\u2019s actually a larger room, and it\u2019s a much more secure.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump said the legally challenged building would be drone proof with bulletproof glass.<\/p>\n He said the incident underscored why he wanted to build a $400 million (\u20ac341 million) ballroom on White House grounds that he said would be equipped with the latest security features. That project is currently subject to litigation. – Reuters, NYT<\/p>\n Trump says he initially thought shots fired near event was tray falling<\/p>\n Donald Trump said on Saturday night he initially thought that the sound of a gunman charging a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner was a tray falling, in his first remarks about what was going through his mind as the incident unfolded.<\/p>\n \u201cActually, it was totally shocking to me, and that never changes,\u201d Trump said, appearing to refer to the assassination attempt against him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a second incident on his golf course in Florida during the 2024 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard a noise, and sort of thought it was a tray. I thought it was a tray going down many times,\u201d he said. \u201cThere was a gun and some people really understood that quite quickly. Other people didn\u2019t. I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down a little faster.<\/p>\n \u201cMelania was very cognizant, I think, of what happened,\u201d Trump said of his wife, who has been among the members of his family most concerned about security even before Trump faced assassination attempts. \u201cI think she knew immediately. She was saying: \u2018It\u2019s a bad noise\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n The US president\u2019s description of his reaction to the episode came at a hastily arranged news conference in the briefing room at the White House, where he had been rushed back by motorcade ahead of a number of other senior cabinet officials who had attended the dinner. – The Guardian<\/p>\n The suspect arrested in the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner shooting on Saturday \u200cwas identified by a law enforcement official as Cole Tomas Allen.<\/p>\n A Los Angeles<\/a>-area man, Allen appears from social \u200cmedia sites to be a Caltech graduate working as a part-time teacher and game developer.<\/p>\n The chief of the District of Columbia police \u200bdepartment said investigators believe the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual dinner was taking place, \u2060but that no motive had been determined.<\/p>\n Read more about what is known of the suspect here:<\/p>\n [\u00a0Who is Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner shooting?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n A gunman armed with \u201cmultiple weapons\u201d who tried to charge a Washington dinner attended by Donald Trump was \u201ca lone wolf whack job\u201d, according to the US president.<\/p>\n The White House Correspondents\u2019 Association dinner was thrown into chaos by the attack on Saturday night and saw the American leader, who has been the previous target of an assassination attempt, swiftly evacuated by secret service agents along with other senior members of the administration.<\/p>\n One officer, who was shot but protected by his bulletproof vest, was taken to hospital.<\/p>\n The suspect, said to have been carrying a shotgun and handgun, has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.<\/p>\n He is understood to have been a guest in the Washington Hilton hotel where the event was being held and faces charges including assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but acting attorney general Todd Blanche said additional charges will be filed.<\/p>\n Trump, who was attending the annual dinner for the first time as president, praised the secret service and said the gunman was not close to breaching the ballroom where he sat on stage at the time of the incident.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI saw a room that was just totally unified. It was, in one way, very beautiful, a very beautiful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Washington mayor Muriel Bowser said she had \u201cno reason\u201d to believe anyone else was involved.<\/p>\n – PA<\/p>\n Shots fired, suspect detained at White House event in Washington <\/p>\n The big news this morning is, of course, that half a dozen shots were fired inside the hotel hosting the White House correspondents annual gala dinner, at which US president Donald Trump was in attendance.<\/p>\n Trump was rushed from the event after the shots rang out inside the Hilton Hotel.<\/p>\n A single gunman was subdued and taken into custody by Secret Service<\/a> afterwards, with the shots having been fired in the lobby rather than the basement-level ballroom, where ceremonies had just got underway.<\/p>\n Read Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan\u2019s full breakdown of events here:<\/p>\n![\"Guests](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/XWLFHMVYMVE6DHKU6SJJCZSQNU.JPG\")
Guests take cover after U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner by Secret Service agents after a loud, unidentified noise, in Washington, D.C., U.S. April 25, 2026. Picture taken using a mobile phone. REUTERS\/Evan Vucci <\/p>\n![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GGUJBP5TJM5OU6ONT44ESBBCOU.jpg\")
US Vice President JD Vance, from left, Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US President Donald Trump, Markwayne Mullin, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Todd Blanche, acting US attorney general, during a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US on Saturday, April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner event in Washington Saturday following a security incident at the venue. Photographer: Daniel Heuer\/Bloomberg Israel to force evacuation of Lebanese towns<\/p>\n![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ALRIK7LQ2UL2JILBJXK5FU2E7A.jpg\")
Donald Trump said his wife, Melania, ‘was very cognizant, I think, of what happened’. Photographer: Yuri Gripas\/Abaca\/Bloomberg Who is the suspect in the shooting?<\/p>\n![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/EOZSIDBJCFBNFEQ2CU5S3HWODE.jpg\")
US president Donald Trump shared a picture of the suspect on social media following his arrest. Photograph: Donald TRump\/Truth Social Gunman at White House event was \u2018lone wolf whack job\u2019, Trump says <\/p>\n
![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CBMZJMJ5QSKMTI5IJOCNS4X3FY.jpg\")
US Secret Service agents escorted the president and first lady from the room. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein, AP Strait of Hormuz still largely closed<\/p>\n