Trump Secret Service Reject Friendly Fire Claims In Dinner Attack

US President Donald Trump and Secret Service Director Sean Curran have strongly denied reports suggesting that a federal agent injured during the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was shot by friendly fire. Officials said the injured agent was instead hit directly by the suspect during the attempted attack at the Washington Hilton hotel last Saturday.

The incident happened during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., an event attended by President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior administration officials, journalists, and hundreds of invited guests. Prosecutors allege that 31-year-old suspect Cole Tomas Allen attempted to storm the event while armed, with plans to assassinate the president.

Speaking during an interview on Fox News, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the injured officer was shot “at point-blank range” by the suspect as Allen ran through a security checkpoint near the ballroom entrance. Curran praised the actions of the federal agent, saying the officer immediately returned fire during the confrontation. According to Curran, the agent fired five shots while attempting to stop the suspect before he could reach the main event area.

Curran explained that the suspect was not struck by the officer’s gunfire but eventually fell to the ground after injuring his knee during the chaotic struggle near the staircase leading to the ballroom. Other federal agents quickly rushed in and subdued Allen before he could enter the heavily guarded dinner hall.

A US law enforcement official also told Reuters that investigators had completed a review of the shooting and determined that the injured Secret Service officer was not hit accidentally by another federal agent. The clarification came after several media reports and online discussions suggested the possibility of friendly fire during the confusion of the attack.

President Trump addressed the issue directly while speaking to reporters inside the Oval Office on Thursday. Responding to questions about the investigation, Trump said, “They said it wasn’t friendly fire. It wasn’t us.” The president also thanked the Secret Service agents who stopped the suspect and prevented what officials described as a potentially catastrophic attack.

However, some questions still remain after federal court documents released earlier this week appeared to describe events differently. Prosecutors confirmed that an officer fired five shots during the confrontation, but the official filings did not specifically mention the officer being shot by the suspect. The documents also did not accuse Allen of directly aiming at or striking the injured agent, which led to speculation about how the injury happened.

Despite the confusion, Curran defended the security preparations at the Washington Hilton and insisted the Secret Service response worked effectively under extremely dangerous circumstances. He said the site had been “set up perfectly” and claimed he would not change the security arrangements if the event were held again.

The attack caused panic during one of Washington’s most high-profile political and media gatherings. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and seeing guests rushed away by security personnel as agents moved quickly to secure the ballroom. President Trump and senior officials were evacuated within moments after the shooting began.

During Thursday’s media interaction, Trump was also asked whether he would consider wearing a bulletproof vest at future public events. The president appeared reluctant about the idea and joked that he did not want to “look 20 pounds heavier.” Trump added that wearing such protection could feel like “giving in to a bad element.”

The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, remains in federal custody and faces several serious charges, including attempted assassination of the president and weapons-related offences. Federal investigators continue examining the suspect’s background, travel history, and possible motives connected to the attempted attack.