This year's White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted when a lone gunman rushed past a security checkpoint in an apparent attempt to enter the Washington Hilton ballroom containing over 2,500 guests, including the President, Vice President, and most Cabinet members. The event was shut down immediately after gunfire was heard. While the gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, was subdued in an outer hallway. The ballroom was locked down with Secret Service agents removing the President and other top officials.
Once attendees rose from under their tables, most stood around waiting to hear what would happen next. After initial announcements that the event would soon resume, security protocols mandated that it not proceed. President Trump announced that the event would be held again within 30 days. Here are a few tips if you're invited and considering going to Round Two.
1. Where to Sit
The Hilton ballroom was in banquet configuration, containing the following:
- A front‑center stage
- Press risers at the back
- A center aisle and side aisles
- 262 plain‑circle tables arranged in a WHCD‑style cluster layout
Each of the 262 tables had seating for 10 people, and there was little room between the seats to move. When rushing to their designated protectees, Secret Service agents climbed over tables and people to reach their charges. While the gunman never reached the ballroom, had he done so, every guest would have been in danger, though not specifically targeted. The safest place to sit would be next to or near Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He may not know much about reviving a failing economy, but he knows how to get out of danger. According to several witnesses, the President and First Lady were the first ones to rush off. Bessent immediately left his table and walked straight out of the room, along with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. If attending the dinner, watch Scott Bessent and go where he goes, you’ll be good.
2. Eat Before You Arrive
It sounds counterintuitive, but you should eat before going to the WHCD. If the dinner is disrupted before you’ve had a chance to eat, you’ll thank me. When shots were fired, servers followed instructions and got under tables, dropping trays of food wherever they were. There was no scenario where any food would be served after that point. Furthermore, most guests were kept from leaving for hours as they were asked to provide witness accounts or ruled out as co-conspirators. Many reporters on the scene had to rush to the White House for a press briefing. The first chance some people got to eat was well after midnight.
3. Don’t Rely on Kash Patel
Immediately after the shots were heard, many people, including the President, were confused as to what was happening and what they should do next. The Secret Service acted quickly, rushing out top administration officials. But Kash Patel was wandering around the scene, wanting to be seen doing something important but having nothing to do. Patel is a man desperately seeking to keep his job in light of multiple news reports about his alcohol abuse, wasteful use of private jets, and providing a full security detail for his girlfriend. To his credit, Patel looked very nice in his tuxedo and didn’t appear the least bit drunk at the White House press conference.
4. Skip the Selfie
One of the things guests do on their way to the ballroom is take a selfie in front of the White House Correspondents Association logo. It’s proof you were there at one of the premier events of the year. Guests cluster while waiting for their photos, creating a potentially dangerous place to be should a gunman burst in. If you attended the April 25, 2026, WHCD, you likely already have a selfie. Do you really need another?
5. Wear Clean Underwear
Remember, as a child, being told to always wear clean underwear in case you’re ever in an accident? In 2026, the admonition should always be to wear clean underwear in case you're suspected of being a co-conspirator and strip-searched. Of all the ways Cole Tomas Allen imagined his night might end, he probably didn’t imagine it would be lying face down on a dirty hotel carpet in his undies. In today’s America, anyone could be randomly thrown down and strip-searched, or dragged out of their home in their underwear, on the suspicion of being an illegal immigrant or a domestic terrorist. Always wear clean underwear. Bonus points if you coordinate.