DC Media Gala With Trump Plunged Into Chaos When Shots Rang Out

Attendees leave the Washington Hilton after shots were heard during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25.Photographer: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

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By Josh Wingrove, Courtney Subramanian, and Jennifer A Dlouhy

April 26, 2026 at 3:41 AM UTC

Oz Pearlman, a mentalist who was headlining the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, was performing a trick, trying to guess the name of the baby Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is expecting, when loud popping noises rang out.

President Donald Trump was on the main stage along with First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance.