This would mark Trump's first time attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

In a joint press conference, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said all guests at the dinner were safe, while US Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said the suspect now faces charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

The suspect named Cole Allen by US media, 31, of Torrance, California, was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, police said.

Political violence has been frequent in the US in recent years. Trump has been the target of multiple assassination attempts and death threats during his presidential campaign and as the president.

The most prominent example is the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, which Trump narrowly survived while campaigning for president.