US President Donald Trump has spoken about Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in an interview on CBS's program 60 Minutes, saying he "wasn't worried" about possible injuries after hearing the gun shots. 

"I understand life. We live in a crazy world," he said.

Trump told the program, which aired on Sunday, that his curiosity probably slowed the Secret Service's efforts to rush him to safety. "I wanted to see what was happening," Trump said. "I wasn't making it that easy for them. I wanted to see what was going on."

Secret Service officers, however, repeatedly told the president and first lady, Melania Trump, to hit the floor, he added.

"He was a Christian, ‌believer, and then he became an anti-Christian, and he had a lot of change," Trump told the program when discussing the suspect. "He was probably a pretty sick guy."

The annual dinner, held at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026, and attended by journalists, politicians and celebrities, was disrupted when an armed suspect attempted to breach security near the ballroom.

In the immediate aftermath, US federal authorities launched a wide-ranging investigation involving the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, while political leaders and international partners have responded with a mix of reassurance and concern.

Gunman identity and preliminary investigation

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California. He was arrested at the scene after attempting to breach security at the Washington Hilton while armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives, according to acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Blanche said Allen had traveled across the country by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington, checking into the Hilton on Friday, adding that preliminary findings suggest the shooter was "likely" targeting Trump and top members of his administration.

The suspect's writings, reportedly found inside his hotel room, are being examined as part of the investigation into the attack, according to CBS News. In a manifesto, Allen calls himself the "Friendly Federal Assassin" and said he planned to attack Trump administration officials, prioritizing them from highest-ranking to lowest but excluding FBI Director Kash Patel, a law enforcement official told Reuters.

Trump says shooting shows why WH ballroom needed

Trump and his allies have cited the shooting as evidence of why a White House ballroom is necessary.

"What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump has been attempting to build a ballroom at the White House since returning for a second term in office, but the project, which has already seen the East Wing of the White House dismantled, is being fought over in the courts.

Buckingham Palace confirms king's state visit will proceed

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the planned four-day state visit to the United States by King Charles III and Queen Camilla will proceed as scheduled.

A statement on Sunday said the decision had been made "after discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day."