Trump links shooting incident to his presidency's power

Washington D.C. U.S. President Donald Trump has reacted to the recent shooting incident at the Hotel Hilton in Washington D.C., stating that the shooting is proof of his leadership being powerful and influential.

Speaking after the incident, which occurred outside the venue of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, he said, 'When you are powerful, they attack you.' The shooting occurred when an armed individual attempted to breach security at the hotel.

The incident caused panic among the approximately 2,600 guests attending the event, and security personnel immediately moved the President and other high-ranking officials to a safe location. Following the incident, Trump attempted to portray himself as a steadfast and courageous leader, linking it to his popularity and influence. He stated that no one would pay attention if a person were not influential.

On this occasion, he also reiterated his proposal for the controversial White House ballroom construction. He claimed that the new structure would be more secure than the current venue.

The current venue, Washington Hilton, was also the site of an assassination attempt on then-President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Justice Department would ask the court to dismiss the case regarding the halt of the ballroom construction.

Furthermore, Republican lawmakers Tim Sheehy and Randy Fine are preparing to introduce a bill to grant Trump legal permission for such a construction. However, despite Trump's claims that the Secret Service or the military itself deems such a structure necessary, he has not presented concrete evidence.

Trump's popularity has reached its lowest point in two terms since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. In July 2024, a gunman fired at Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In September of the same year, security personnel apprehended a man who was preparing to shoot him.