Bret Baier shares firsthand account of 'chaos' at White House Correspondents' Dinner
'Special Report' anchor Bret Baier shares his firsthand account of what happened at the White House Correspondents' Dinner amid an active shooting.
The president and first lady had just sat down on the dais at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner on Saturday. The color guard had left the room after "Hail to the Chief" and the National Anthem, and now we all took our seats and started the first course.
There was an upbeat mood in the large ballroom for the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner. At a front table near the dais, I was seated next to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on one side and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott on the other. My wife, Amy, was two seats away next to the secretary’s wife.
We had just passed the breadbasket around the table while making small talk when the sound of four distinct pops rang out in the distance, and the room seemed to freeze.
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Seconds later, U.S. Secret Service agents were running down the center aisle, some on top of tables, with plates crashing to the ground while people were screaming, "Get down!" My wife and the secretary’s wife hid under the table; the secretary’s security detail was on top of him in seconds. The president, the first lady, and the vice president were whisked off the stage as agents in full tactical gear with long guns ran to the front of the dais and pointed their rifles over the crowd, scanning for any shooters.
No one was hurt.
Law enforcement personnel detain Cole Tomas Allen, a suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, in Washington, D.C., U.S. April 25, 2026. (Donald J Trump via Truth Social/Handout via Reuters)
The shooter was stopped before making it into the massive ballroom. But the trauma of that moment, the latest assassination attempt on President Trump, was real for anyone in that room.
Across America, I could easily imagine people wailing in despair and frustration at yet another act of violence—by all accounts, at least the third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.
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Violence, when it occurs, pierces our hearts and rattles our sense of common cause. Too many people feel that our unity has frayed after 250 years. They question whether our nation can continue to stand strong. And a shooting at a gathering to celebrate the First Amendment seems like a bitter setback.
But even as we were experiencing the trauma of that moment, President Trump was back at the White House, striking a different note. As we all know, this is a president who is not afraid to mix it up. He will engage in conflicts without hesitation. And he would have been forgiven had he expressed anger that night.
Instead, the president had a different message—one of unity. Speaking to the nation, he said, "We have to ... resolve our differences."
He described the hotel ballroom, filled with "Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives." And he noted that after the incident, "there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together. I watched ... and I was very, very impressed by that."
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The president spoke of encountering some Democrats as he was leaving. Acknowledging that they were usually hostile toward him, he said, "Last night they were waving to me. Politicians, congressmen, senators. They were waving and saying, ‘Great going’ and ‘Hello.’ The place was just coming together. It was very nice to see."
For his part, President Trump admitted that he’d earlier planned to give a speech that was hard on the media. "I was gonna really rip it," he said. But after the shooting, he knew he had to change his tone.
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If the program had resumed, he would have given "a speech of love."
I’m not saying that a few words, even when delivered by the president, can instantly change an environment that has grown more divisive in recent years. But a president’s words matter, especially at a moment of national crisis. Especially powerful, too, are words that speak of a personal change of heart.
Think about it. What is a better example of resilience than the statement, "I was going to say something divisive, but now I’m going to say something unifying"? We’re all capable of that simple gesture—in our families, among coworkers and friends, and yes, in our political lives.
As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, maybe we can set aside our angst, lay down the conspiracy theories, and reach out across the divide.
We don’t have to accept political violence. We don’t have to accept a constant clash of ideologies.
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This anniversary calls on us to recall the principles that allowed people who were very different from one another to write this vow in the Declaration of Independence: "We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
Bret Baier is the chief political anchor for Fox News and the host of "Special Report." His new book, "The Case for America: An Argument on Behalf of Our Nation," will be published on May 5, 2026, in celebration of the nation’s 250th Anniversary. (FNM/Mariner Books)
Only two days after the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, we had another reminder of our strength and resilience. That reminder came from across the sea with the visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Their visit was especially meaningful on the eve of our anniversary, which marks the occasion of our separation from Great Britain.
Yet here we are, two nations that have formed a close friendship. Although there have been times in our history when our policies have clashed, including some current frictions, King Charles brushed those disagreements aside.
Before a joint session of Congress, the king recalled that his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was the only other monarch to ever give such a speech when she visited in 1991. He called it a "signal honor," then and now.
"So, I come here today with the highest respect for the United States Congress," he said, "this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people and to advance sacred rights and freedoms."
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Referring to the shooting, he expressed solidarity with America. "We stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries." He praised America’s signature moment, which he called the "Spirit of 1776," the year of our Declaration of Independence, wryly noting, "We can perhaps agree that we do not always agree."
And here was his point, in words that will endure for some time. He delivered them sincerely to a roar of applause: "Our two countries have always found ways to come together. And by Jove, Mr. Speaker, when we have found that way to agree, what great change is brought about—not just for the benefit of our peoples, but of all peoples. This, I believe, is the special ingredient in our relationship."
Later that evening, King Charles and Queen Camilla were honored at a state dinner, where the friendship continued to blossom.
Amy and I were proud to be present. The formal white-tie affair showed all the pomp and circumstance the White House can muster.
When we moved to the receiving line, President Trump, standing next to King Charles, said to me, "A really good speech on Capitol Hill by the king, right Bret?" I said, "Yes, sir. Your Majesty, it was quite a feat for the King of England, speaking to America ahead of its 250th anniversary and our independence from your country, to deliver a speech that managed to remind Americans to be more American, optimistic and forward-leaning."
He smiled and replied, "Well said. Happy 250th."
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After toasts and musical performances, the dinner wrapped up, and I realized I was witnessing once again the triumph of resilience over despair.
It’s a familiar American story, 250 years long.
Editor's note: Bret Baier's new book, "The Case for America: An Argument on Behalf of Our Nation," will be published on May 5, 2026, in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
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