BALTIMORE (WBFF) — What was supposed to be a night of political satire and tradition at one of Washington’s most high-profile media events quickly turned into a national security scare Saturday night, as authorities say a foiled shooting attempt forced the sudden evacuation of top officials – including President Donald Trump and several of his Cabinet secretaries – inside a Hilton hotel.
The disruption was later traced to what authorities described as a credible threat involving a man allegedly armed with multiple weapons and intent on targeting members of the Trump administration.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (C) listens as White House Correspondents Association President and CBS Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang comes back to the stage to speak after a shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, were evacuated from the Washington Hilton after a shooting incident. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
In an exclusive interview with Spotlight on Maryland on Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the confusion inside the Washington Hilton ballroom as Secret Service agents abruptly moved in to extract the president and Cabinet members.
I didn’t even know there was a shooter. I thought there was a protester,” Duffy said. “Then we had Secret Service rushing in to take the president.”
Duffy spoke to Spotlight Monday evening at BWI Thurgood-Marshall Airport after the unveiling of a new Southwest Airlines jet to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
Authorities say Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California man, was stopped before he could enter the ballroom. Investigators allege he had two firearms and a collection of knives, and had outlined his intentions in a manifesto sent to family members ahead of the attempted attack.
In that manifesto, Allen allegedly stated he was targeting leadership within Trump’s administration, from the highest-ranking officials to lower-level Cabinet members.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: Armed Secret Service agents stand on stage during a shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. According to reports, President Donald Trump, along with other government officials, were evacuated from the Washington Hilton gun shots. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Duffy said the gravity of the situation was not immediately clear, but the broader implications were unmistakable. He described the incident as part of a troubling pattern, calling it the “third attempt” on the president’s life. Duffy said this should inspire growing alarm and condemnation.
“At some point, there is political divide, division. I get that,” Duffy said. “I disagree with people on the other side of the aisle.”
But he warned that the country is crossing a dangerous line.
“We have elections. They’re free. They’re fair. We debate. We vote,” he said. “We don’t have to agree with everything that’s been done, but minimally, let’s not try to kill them or celebrate people who do.”
The Saturday attack comes as national security officials continue to warn about rising domestic extremism. The FBI has repeatedly identified politically motivated violence – often carried out by so-called “lone wolf” actors – as one of the most persistent and growing threats in the United States.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos-Duffy attend the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
Duffy also addressed the personal and moral dimensions of the attack, invoking his faith when asked whether he could forgive the suspect.
I think that people who don’t forgive, they carry it in their heart,” Duffy said. “It weighs them down…I think you have to let things go, learn from what happens, but let it go, forgive, but then I think it’s important for America to come together and inspire better behavior.
Still, he was unequivocal in condemning the act itself.
“You don’t have to agree with the president,” Duffy said. “But anything that has to do with political violence has zero place in America or American politics.”
With the country heading into another potentially contentious election cycle and the control of Congress at stake, Duffy urged Americans to channel their frustration through the democratic process rather than resort to violence.
“There’s going to be an election,” he said. “Lean into that. If you haven’t won the last election, the answer is not to kill the man who did win. It’s to get out there and try to make the case to win the next election.”
“I just hope that Democrats would do a better job of pushing their side of the aisle to say this has zero place. Condemnation, radical condemnation of this type of behavior, I think, is necessary by the news outlets to make sure that Democrats know this has no place in their party,” Duffy added.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke exclusively with Maryland’s Gary Collins on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the Southwest Maintenance Facility at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore, Md. The interview was about the shooting at the White House Correspondence Dinner, where, according to the suspected shooter’s manifesto, he targeted President Donald Trump and other cabinet members. (Ben Otte/WBFF)
Send news tips about this story or others to gmcollins@sbgtv.com or contact Spotlight on Maryland’s hotline at (410) 467-4670.
Follow Gary Collins on X and Instagram. Spotlight on Maryland is a collaboration between FOX45 News, WJLA in Washington, D.C., and The Baltimore Sun.
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