‘I wasn’t making it that easy for them’: Trump admits he slowed his own Secret Service evacuation because he wanted to see what was happening

President Donald Trump has admitted that he intentionally slowed down his own Secret Service evacuation during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting. Trump said he wanted to see what was happening and didn’t want to make it “too easy” for the Secret Service agents to get him and the first lady to safety.

The incident happened when a suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen, allegedly opened fire on a Secret Service officer. The officer was shot in his ballistic vest, taken to the hospital, and later released. Trump, Melania, and several administration officials were quickly evacuated, which abruptly ended the event.

According to Fox News, Trump described the moment in a preview for his 60 Minutes interview with CBS News correspondent Norah O’Donnell, saying, “Well, what happened is it was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn’t making it that easy for them. I wanted to see what was going on.”

Trump’s hesitation added seconds to an already tense evacuation

Secret Service agents reportedly reached Trump within 10 seconds of the shooting, but it took an additional 20 seconds to get him out of the building. Trump praised the agents’ response, quoting them as saying, “Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let me see. Wait a minute.” He then described how he and Melania were eventually told to get down and “pretty much” began crawling out of the room.

Footage also emerged of Vice President JD Vance being evacuated from the dinner before Trump. Vance was seen being physically lifted from his seat by Secret Service agents as they rushed him out. 

The footage sparked criticism online, with some Trump supporters accusing the Secret Service of prioritizing Vance’s safety over Trump’s. Reports have also suggested that Trump’s Secret Service detail has been struggling with serious lapses, enough to make King Charles reconsider his planned US state visit.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the suspect acted alone and now faces multiple firearms and assault-related charges. The event was held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, but the suspect was still able to breach the security checkpoint and open fire on the officer.

Trump has called for a review of the security measures at the dinner, saying the hotel setting is “tough” to protect. He has also urged the White House Correspondents’ Association to reschedule the dinner, which was cut short after the shooting. Meanwhile, Trump continues to face pressure on other fronts, with over half of Republicans blaming him for rising gas prices even as he projects confidence on foreign policy.

Among the attendees, guest Erika Kirk was seen breaking down in tears backstage after the incident. Some guests said they were initially unaware of the danger, with one person saying they thought it was a “normal noise from a ballroom.”