President Donald Trump said he "wasn't worried" when gunfire erupted during Saturday night's White House Correspondents' Association dinner, describing the tense moments in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes."
"I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world," Trump told interviewer Norah O'Donnell during the Sunday broadcast.
The shooting unfolded as the president, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet officials, and more than 2,500 guests gathered at a Washington hotel for the annual event celebrating the First Amendment and freedom of the press.
Panic spread quickly after what witnesses described as gunshots rang out, prompting many attendees to drop to the floor as security rushed into action.
The president said he first sensed something was wrong during the program, noting the reaction of those seated near him, including the first lady.
"She looked — very upset about what just took place, you know? Why not?" he said, reflecting on her reaction. While he avoided directly describing her emotions, he added, "Who wouldn't be when you have a situation like that?"
Despite the apparent danger, the president suggested he was initially reluctant to be rushed out of the room, wanting to understand what was happening.
"I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn't making it that easy for 'em," he said of the Secret Service response. "I said, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute. Lemme see.'"
As the situation escalated, agents moved to secure the president. The president described how they instructed him and the first lady to get down as they worked to evacuate them.
"They said, 'Please go down to the floor. Please go down to the floor.' So I dropped to the floor. So did the first lady," he said.
The president acknowledged that moment made clear the severity of the threat.
"When they said, 'Drop down,' that meant trouble," he said, adding that he complied as agents directed him to safety.
The president explained that he was initially walking out under protection before agents urged him to lower himself further as a precaution while crossing exposed areas of the ballroom. After reaching a secure location, he said he considered returning to the event.
"I did. I really did," Donald Trump said when asked if he wanted to go back inside after being evacuated.
He also praised the swift response of law enforcement and Secret Service personnel, crediting them with quickly neutralizing the threat.
"They were so professional ... they took him down immediately," he said. He added that the suspect moved "like a blur," highlighting the speed of the incident.
Reflecting on the experience, the president suggested it was not unfamiliar territory.
"My thought was, You know, I've been through this before a couple of times," he said.
The incident carries additional historical resonance, as it took place at the same hotel where President Ronald Reagan was nearly assassinated in 1981.
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