A viral video of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has stirred online chatter ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) shooting incident, after she urged viewers to tune in, hinting that Donald Trump would “bring the heat” and that there would be “shots fired.”
After shooting broke out at the Washington Hilton during the dinner, the video, which was initially meant to be a figurative allusion to scathing political remarks or humor expected from Trump tonight, became viral in a different context.
As the incident unfolded, Trump, the First Lady, Vice President JD Vance, and other senior officials were abruptly evacuated after shots were fired near the ballroom.
Read more: White House Correspondences’ Dinner shooting: ‘Staged Trump assassination’ claims viral; alleged suspect photo
What did Karoline Leavitt say?
Leavitt granted a red carpet interview with a FOX News reporter prior to the start of the WHCD. During the interview, she speaks about the speech she wrote for the president and teases its contents.
She said, “He is ready to rumble. This speech tonight will be classic Donald. J. Trump. It will be funny, it will be entertaining. There will be some shorts fired tonight in the room.”
She further urged viewers to “tune in” and “look forward” to the speech.
The interviewer then suggests that Leavitt “wrote most of it,” to which she replies, “I can’t take credit. In true Donald Trump fashion, the man puts his pen to the paper. So it’s a lot of his own words.”
Read more: ‘Speaking to you in a half an hour’: Trump to address White House shooting, says premises have been evacuated
What happened at the WHCD shooting?
The incident unfolded shortly after the event began, as attendees were seated inside the Washington Hilton. Videos circulating online indicate that attendees heard multiple gunshots from a nearby corridor or lobby area, which triggered immediate panic and a swift response from the U.S. Secret Service.
Agents quickly moved to secure the room, escorting Trump and other top officials off the stage while instructing guests to take cover.
Videos show chaotic scenes, with journalists and attendees ducking under tables as security personnel rushed in. Reports from The Guardian and AP indicated that the suspected gunman was intercepted within the security perimeter and later taken into custody or neutralized.
Authorities later confirmed that Trump was unharmed and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.