Violence has no place in US: lawmakers after WHC dinner firing

WASHINGTON: Political violence has no place in the United States, lawmakers cutting across party lines asserted as President Donald Trump and other top White House officials were evacuated unharmed from a hotel here following a shooting incident.

Addressing a press conference hours after he and top leaders were rushed out of the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel, Trump gave a call for national unity and said Americans must resolve differences despite rising political tensions and violence.

“I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully. We have to, we have to resolve our differences. I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives,” Trump said at the White House, flanked by First Lady Melania, Vice President J D Vance, FBI Director Kash Patel and top officials, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Markwayne Mullin, Todd Blanche, among others.

Veteran Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi, a prominent Trump detractor, said it was a great relief that the President, First Lady and everyone in attendance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner are safe following a terrifying act of violence inside the venue.

“The brave men and women of the United States Secret Service and local law enforcement are to be commended for their swift action to secure the scene and protect those present. As someone whose family has suffered political violence, my prayers are with the injured officer and all those affected by the trauma of these horrible incidents,” Pelosi said.

Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani called the shooting incident totally unacceptable.

“Political violence is absolutely unacceptable. I am glad the President and guests at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner are safe,” he posted on X. Republican leader Steve Scalise thanked the brave members of law enforcement who acted quickly to protect all attending Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“This is an event meant to bring people together. Violence has NO place in our country,” Scalise, the House Majority Leader, said in a post on X.

Congressman Shri Thanedar said he was grateful to the Secret Service and other security personnel who acted swiftly.

“I am keeping all those in attendance in my thoughts: political violence is never acceptable,” Thanedar, the democrat from Michigan, said.

Democratic leader Suhas Subramanyam, who was attending the dinner, said as he was walking down the escalators from the lobby when security personnel asked him to watch out for crossfire.

“I was walking down the escalators from the lobby when, at the bottom of the escalators, 2 security people with guns were running through and yelling 'watch out for crossfire,'” Subramanyam said in a post on X.

“I got behind a pillar with another person, then left out a back exit while hearing more commotion and police. Thank you to Secret Service, Capitol Police, DC Metropolitan Police and all law enforcement for their quick response,” he said.

Democrat leader Ro Khanna said he was grateful to law enforcement for protecting everyone at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

“My thoughts are with the brave Secret Service agent who was shot. Political violence is completely unacceptable. There is no place for it in our country,” Khanna said.

Democratic leader Senator Chuck Schumer said he was grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and was praying everyone remains safe.

Democrat leader Pramila Jayapal said she was very grateful to law enforcement for quickly acting to secure the room and save lives at the dinner.  “Violence is never the answer,” Jayapal said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he and his wife Kelly were at the event and were thankful that no innocent people were harmed and everyone is now safe.

“We’re grateful as always for the law enforcement and first responders who acted so quickly to bring the situation under control. Praying for our country tonight,” Johnson said.

Amit Kumar Sharma, Business Head of a leading software company based in the capital city, who was present at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, said that “everything seemed fantastic and well managed” but suddenly “there was chaos and we were told that some gunshots have been fired.”

There were around 4000 people at the hotel premises at the time he said, adding that this was the first time President Trump was going to attend this annual dinner.

Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.