'Relieved to learn' Trump, First Lady are safe: PM Modi
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his relief that United States President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance are safe after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The event was held at a Washington DC hotel. In a post on X, PM Modi said he was "relieved to learn" that the trio remained unharmed during the security breach.
Twitter Post
PM Modi's post on X
Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel. I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 26, 2026
Incident details
Suspect fired at Secret Service agent
The shooting occurred when a man opened fire with a shotgun on security personnel. An FBI official confirmed to Reuters that the armed suspect fired at a Secret Service agent. Trump later revealed that the officer was saved by his bulletproof vest and is in "good shape." The suspect has been arrested, with Trump describing him as a "sick person."
Security response
Secret Service agents evacuated Trump and Melania
Secret Service agents quickly evacuated Trump and Melania from the scene. Video footage released by Trump on Truth Social showed a man sprinting through a security checkpoint, briefly catching security personnel off guard before they drew their weapons. "He charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving," Trump said, adding that officials believe the suspect acted alone.
Attendee response
Chaos as shots ring out
As the shots rang out, attendees at the dinner froze before chaos erupted. People screamed "Get down, get down!" as many of the 2,600 guests took cover. Waiters ran toward the front of the dining hall for safety. Security agents pushed senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, to safety on the ground.
Past incidents
Second assassination attempt on Trump in 2 years
The incident comes after two assassination attempts on Trump in 2024 during his reelection campaign. In July 2024, he was shot and wounded in the upper ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, while the gunman was killed by security personnel. Two months later, agents spotted an armed man hiding in bushes at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Authorities treated it as an assassination attempt, and the suspect was sentenced to life in prison in February.