A hotel, two presidents, a deja vu: The Washington Hilton has a murky past
The Hilton hotel was “not a particularly secure” facility, US President Donald Trump said late Saturday night, after being escorted out of the ballroom in Washington where a shooting incident had unfolded. The remark. though simple, carried a stark reminder of a similar moment at the very same venue 45 years ago.
Long before Trump’s hurried exit, the Washington Hilton had already been etched into presidential history. In 1981, then US President Ronald Reagan was shot at outside the same hotel.
That attack led to structural changes, a special presidential suite near the entrance was added, designed for quick access in emergencies. On Saturday night after the shooting, according to Associated Press, Trump was also taken there briefly.
What happened in 1981
On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr attempted to assassinate Reagan as he exited the hotel.
According to the FBI archives, Hinckley fired six shots from a .22-caliber revolver. One bullet ricocheted off the limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. The injury initially went unnoticed until Reagan began coughing up blood.
The hotel later built a secure garage to accommodate the presidential limousine, which connects to a dedicated elevator and staircase leading directly to the presidential suite.
The then President Reagan spent 12 days in hospital before returning to the White House. His press secretary James Brady, secret service agent Timothy McCarthy, and police officer Thomas Delahanty – were also wounded.
Fast forward 45 years, and the setting was once again the same — but the night began very differently.
It was meant to be a glitzy evening, with Trump addressing journalists at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner – his first time attending as president.
Then came the disruption.
Panic in the ballroon
Attendees were eating a spring pea and burrata salad when armed security rushed into the ballroom and shouted for people to get down, eyewitnesses recalled to AP.
Loud bangs rang out, cutting through the event, the big band music stopped. For a few seconds, a hush fell over the room. Agents swarmed around tables as plates crashed to the floor.
Cries of “Stay down!” and “Get down!” echoed across the ballroom.
Trump, who had been seated on stage, was quickly bundled out by security personnel.
Security of Washington hotel
The hotel has hosted high-profile events for decades, and during such occasions, it typically remains open to regular guests, with security largely focused on the ballroom rather than the entire property.
Security footage later posted by Trump showed a man sprinting through metal detectors and past law enforcement, prompting officers to turn toward him with guns raised before swarming him off-screen.
The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. He was carrying a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. The authorities believe he may have been staying at the hotel, which could explain how he was able to access the premises during the event.
The hotel had been shut to the public from 2 pm ahead of the 8 pm dinner, a report by news agency AP said.
Around 2,300 guests in the ballroom were subject to multiple layers of checks – from ticket verification to screening through magnetometers operated by the secret service and the transportation security administration.
Officials described this as a “multi-layered protection” system, arguing that it worked as designed.
(With agency inputs)