On Sunday morning on Embassy Row in Washington, guests attending CNN’s annual post-White House Correspondents’ Dinner brunch were greeted at the entrance of the British Ambassador’s residence by magnetometers—an additional layer of security from years past. The added cautionary measure was emblematic of the heightened security posture taken in the aftermath of the attempted attack on the Washington Hilton ballroom, where journalists had gathered with Donald Trump and other administration officials to celebrate the First Amendment, only to have their night upended by a gunman who sought to inflict harm.
While the WHCD festivities carried on in the aftermath of the shooting, safety was clearly top of mind for those involved, both in terms of the hosts and their more subdued guests. When Ambassador Sir Christian Turner addressed attendees at CNN’s brunch, he referenced the heightened measures around the residence, which is preparing to welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla this week for a state visit. Turner assured guests that the royal trip would proceed as planned, saying he is “very confident the security will be absolutely assured for their Majesties.”
Drinks and conversation still flowed at the glamorous venue, where guests were treated to CNN-branded cocktails and an assortment of delectable bites. But inside the after-party and Sunday brunch scene, the atmosphere was noticeably less festive than previous swings through the WHCD party circuit. While people mingled and tried to have a good time, the shock of what transpired lingered, and nearly every conversation I was a part of, or overheard, began with some version of: Were you in the room?
Some guests who spoke to Status on Sunday were relatively unfazed by what had happened, perhaps partially because America has become desensitized to gun violence. Others, however, were genuinely rattled by the prospect that the evening could have ended in the loss of life and showed little appetite for attending a rescheduled dinner in the 30 days, as Trump has made clear is his desire.
Indeed, as Washington digests the horror that unfolded on Saturday night, the other question top of mind is whether another dinner will actually be rescheduled and held in the next month. Coordinating another event of this scale on short notice would be difficult under any circumstances, but in the immediate aftermath of an attempted attack, it would represent an extraordinary task for the Weijia Jiang-led White House Correspondents’ Association.
Notably, Jiang has not committed to rescheduling the event. Of course, given the WHCA spent the last 24 hours managing a crisis while its members sprinted back to the White House briefing room to cover Trump’s press conference in their black-tie finery, and have been covering the developing story nonstop since then, it’s understandable that those decisions remain up in the air.
But if a new dinner is to be quickly rescheduled, time is of the essence. Jiang said in a Sunday afternoon statement that the WHCA board “will be meeting to assess what happened and determine how to proceed.” Jiang did not respond to requests for additional comment, though further information is expected in the coming days.
Regardless, it seems difficult to imagine that a dinner of the same scale will take place this spring. The Washington Hilton’s 30,000-square foot ballroom is one of the only venues in Washington that can accommodate thousands of attendees for dinner, and it seems unlikely after Saturday’s major security incident that the dinner would be held there again within such a short time frame. Frankly, there are some who are skeptical the event will ever be held at the venue again.
It does, however, seem much more feasible that a smaller event, held at a more easily securable venue, could occur within the next few weeks. Surely, neither the president, nor the WHCA, will want to allow the actions of a deranged gunman to derail the annual affair—especially since that would amount to silencing an event aimed at celebrating free expression.
In any event, Saturday night likely triggered major reconsiderations inside the WHCA about how to ensure attendee safety going forward, both in the near future and in the years to come. After what unfolded at the Washington Hilton, the prospect of assembling the president, government officials, and hundreds of journalists in a single ballroom again feels far less tenable than it did at the start of the weekend.
Appearing on “60 Minutes,” Trump—exhibiting a new commitment to an event he has previously avoided—told Norah O’Donnell he thinks it’s “really bad for a crazy person to be able to cancel something like this.” Whether or not that “show must go on” mentality prevails and this year’s dinner is rescheduled, the incident is certain to color the WHCA’s thinking about the event for years to come.
Donald Trump appears on "60 Minutes." (Courtesy of CBS News)
Donald Trump berated Norah O’Donnell as a “disgrace” on “60 Minutes” for reading a portion of the gunman’s writings that called him a “pedophile, rapist, and traitor,” with Trump telling her that she “should be ashamed” of herself as he was “totally exonerated. [Bluesky]
The suspect wanted to target Trump and other administration officials, authorities believe after reviewing his writings. [CNN]
WHCA president Weijia Jiang published a first-person account of what she experienced on the dais as the Secret Service swarmed Trump, writing that after covering many shootings throughout her career, “No one can prepare you” for being on the “other side.” [CBS News]
“The first thing that went through my mind: is he trying to shoot me?” Wolf Blitzer said, recalling how he came within feet of the attacker as he exited the ballroom to use the restroom. “I don’t think he was trying to shoot me, but I was very close to him as the gunshots were fired and he was very, very scary. But I’m OK, now.” [CNN]
Judy Kurtz detailed her experience in the Hilton ballroom, covering the unfolding attack from “underneath a white linen table,” writing: “I’ve never experienced a loud and rambunctious crowd of more than 2,000 people turning virtually silent in an instant.” [The Hill]
As soon as people were permitted to leave the WHCD venue, Tony Dokoupil and Bari Weiss immediately headed to CBS News’ offices and studios for special coverage, with Dokoupil telling Stephen Battaglio, “It’s very strange to go from drinking wine to drinking coffee.” [LA Times]
Trump used the attempted attack to continue to justify building a ballroom on the White House grounds. [The Wrap]
The word “staged” surged in uses on X to more than 300,000 posts, as some suggested without evidence the attack was a false flag operation. [NYT]
The Trump administration "provided a lower level of security” for the dinner “than it has for other gatherings of high-ranking officials, even though the president and many Cabinet members were in attendance," Emily Davies, Isaac Arnsdorf, Jeremy Roebuck, and Joe Heim reported. [WaPo]
The NYT felt obliged to post an explanation that its print edition goes to press at 8 p.m. ET after MAGA voices like Sen. Mike Lee and Katie Miller sought to criticize the newspaper for not spotlighting the attack as evidence of bias.
“I’m a New Yorker”: CAA agent Michael Glantz went viral for being shown on TV casually eating his salad as the rest of the WHCD ballroom took cover under tables, telling Tyler Pager that he “wanted to watch” the scene unfold and also struggles with a bad back. [NYT]
Jim Acosta and Michael Tracey nearly got into a physical altercation at Substack’s WHCD party, after Tracey, a noted Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy theorist, reportedly harassed Julie K. Brown. [Mediaite]
Tracey later challenged Acosta to meet him at the Hampton Inn, presumably for a fight.
In other news: “Michael” emulated a lot of “fact-based” movies by rewriting history, Andy Greene reported, including the erasure of “three of the nine Jackson children.” [Rolling Stone]
Director Antoine Fuqua said the movie “planted the seeds” on where Jackson’s story goes despite omitting sexual-abuse allegations, adding that he has considerable footage to use in a sequel. [Deadline]
“Michael’s” box-office success (see below) reflects “one of the biggest disconnects between reviews and ticket sales in memory,” Brooks Barnes wrote, fundamental misunderstanding how reviews work. [NYT]
Bravo found someone involved in the production of “Summer House" leaked audio from its reunion special and said it has taken “appropriate action.” [THR]
Jaafar Jackson in “Michael.” (Photo by Glen Wilson/Lionsgate)
“Michael” stole the show, blowing past expectations to a projected $97 million domestic (although based on how the weekend went, that could go higher) and $217 million worldwide.
The Michael Jackson movie set a slew of records, including the high for any biopic, musical or otherwise.
The film also ranks as Lionsgate’s sixth-biggest opening ever, behind four “The Hunger Games” movies and the final “Twilight” sequel.
Another spring standout, “Project Hail Mary,” passed the $300 million domestic mark and $600 million globally, while “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” has now rung up $830 million worldwide.
