The Washington Hilton — a venue long associated with high-profile US political events — was thrust back into the spotlight after a security scare disrupted an event attended by US President Donald Trump, evoking memories of the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan.
Speaking after being escorted out of the ballroom late Saturday, Trump remarked that the hotel was “not a particularly secure” facility — a comment that echoed concerns rooted in its history.
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The hotel has been indelibly linked to presidential security since March 30, 1981, when John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on Reagan outside the venue. According to FBI records, six shots were fired, with one bullet ricocheting off the presidential limousine and striking Reagan in the chest.
The then president spent nearly two weeks in hospital recovering from the injury, while press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, and police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded.
In the aftermath of the attack, the hotel underwent structural upgrades, including the addition of a specially designed presidential suite near the entrance to ensure rapid evacuation in emergencies.
A secure garage with direct access routes to the suite was also built. More than four decades later, that same infrastructure was briefly used again.
Following the disruption at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Trump was taken to the secured suite, according to the Associated Press. The evening, attended by around 2,300 guests, was underway when chaos erupted.
Eyewitnesses told AP that security personnel rushed into the ballroom, ordering attendees to “get down” as loud bangs interrupted the event. Trump, who was on stage, was swiftly escorted out by his security detail.
Authorities later identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of California. He was reportedly armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. Investigators believe he may have been staying at the hotel, which could explain how he gained access to the premises.
Despite the breach, officials defended the arrangements, describing the system as “multi-layered protection” involving screening by the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration, and insisting it functioned as intended.
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