Fred Fleitz told Newsmax on Sunday that the security breach surrounding the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner raises serious concerns about the safety of President Donald Trump and other top officials.
Speaking on "Sunday Report," Fleitz reacted to reports that a suspected gunman, who was detained before reaching the ballroom at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, had a manifesto listing Trump, members of his Cabinet, and anti-Christian rhetoric.
"I have so many questions," said Fleitz, former National Security Council chief of staff in Trump's first term. "This shooter got far too close to the president. He brought a bag full of guns and knives … into a hotel room in the hotel."
Fleitz warned that the situation could have been far worse, noting the suspect's ability to get weapons onto the premises.
"He could have brought a bomb into the hotel, a large bomb, and no one would have known. This is unacceptable," he said.
The annual dinner, which draws journalists, political leaders, and high-profile guests, was abruptly disrupted by the incident, though authorities said the suspect was stopped before entering the main event space.
Fleitz, who has attended the dinner in the past, said the size and layout of the gathering pose inherent risks.
"There's far too many people there … It's hard to walk from table to table. This is a fire hazard. It's a security hazard," he said.
He also questioned why the president and Vice President JD Vance were at the same venue under those conditions.
"Why were the president and the vice president both at an event like this?" Fleitz said. "There has to be a major investigation to take care of the president's security."
Authorities are examining the suspect's background, including any online activity that might have signaled a threat. Fleitz cautioned that identifying credible warnings remains a challenge.
"The problem is there's so many of these threats on the internet, it's hard to know which to take seriously," he said, adding that tracking individuals behind online posts can be difficult.
Fleitz also pointed to specific security vulnerabilities at the hotel, particularly the placement of screening measures.
"I agree that the magnetometers were far too close to the president. They should have been outside," he said.
He added that some attendees appeared to pass through minimal screening before getting near the event.
"Reporters were just shown … a piece of paper, and then they'd walk past security into the lobby and would get pretty close," Fleitz said. "This has to change."
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