President Donald Trump on stage as gunshots rang out at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, DC on April 25, 2026.
World leaders responded on Sunday with shock and support for US President Donald Trump after a heavily armed man stormed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday before being apprehended by the US Secret Service.
Trump, first lady Melania, and members of Trump’s Cabinet were excluded from the event. One officer was shot, but “he was saved because he was wearing a very good bulletproof vest,” Trump told reporters during a press conference in the White House briefing room following the incident.
The suspected shooter was identified later Saturday as Cole Allen of Torrance, California. He is being held by authorities as they investigate the shooting.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked” by the scenes at the dinner.
“Any attack on democratic institutions or the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” said the X website.
Starmer has faced repeated criticism from Trump for not being more supportive of the US-led and Israeli-led war against Iran.
UK King Charles III is “being kept fully informed of developments” in the US, according to media reports citing a statement from Buckingham Palace. The king will visit Trump in the US on Monday.
“Many discussions will take place throughout the day to discuss with our American partners and our various teams whether the events of Saturday evening may or may not affect the planning of the tour,” the BBC quoted the palace as saying.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting at the beginning of the government meeting, said: “There is no place for violence, not against political leaders and not against anyone. This does not include the United States only; it includes, first of all, the State of Israel, from within.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, whose country has been under attack as Israeli forces go after Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters, added to the criticism of the shooting.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is evacuated as a gunman opens fire during the Correspondents’ Association dinner at the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 25, 2026.
Jonathan Ernst Reuters
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is the mediator between the US and Iran, also said he was shocked by the incident.
“I am relieved to know that President Trump, the First Lady, and other attendees are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued safety and good health,” Sharif said in the X song.
Some of America’s allies in the Middle East have also expressed their support for Trump.
The United Arab Emirates, which has faced repeated retaliatory strikes by Iran, expressed its “strong condemnation of such criminal acts and its unwavering rejection of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia also condemned the incident.
‘Violence has no place in politics,’
The leaders of the European Union responded unanimously to this incident.
“Violence has no place in politics,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told X.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed that.
“An event intended to honor free media should never be a platform for fear. I wish the injured policeman a speedy recovery,” Kallas added on social media.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, whose relationship with Trump has soured in recent months over the Iran war and Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo, joined the chorus of support for Trump following the incident.
“I wish to express my full solidarity and sincere sympathy with President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President Vance, and everyone present at last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” Meloni said.
“No political hatred can find a place in our democracies. We will not allow fanaticism to poison the places of debate and free information. Protecting the culture of conflict must always be an insurmountable wall against all the intolerable drifts, protecting the values that our Nations found,” said Meloni.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, one of the US’s staunchest supporters in Asia, said: “Political violence is a serious threat that undermines the foundation of democracy and will never be tolerated under any circumstances.”
