UFC CEO Dana White described a chaotic scene after a reported shooting scare led to an evacuation during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25, which was attended by Donald Trump and senior government officials.
According to a report by CNN, shots were possibly fired during the event. The dinner included Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and multiple cabinet members. Authorities later confirmed that all officials were safe.
Trump said on his Truth Social account that a suspect had been apprehended, adding that he intended to return to the White House after initially being escorted out as part of standard security protocol.
White was filmed exiting the venue by USA Today and shared his account of the incident. “Inside… started getting noisy, tables getting flipped over, guys running in with guns, and they were screaming ‘Get down,’ I didn’t get down.”
He added that he stayed alert throughout the situation: “It was awesome. I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience.”
UFC CEO Dana White in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner tonight. He was expected to join the Paramount Skydance table at the event.
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) April 26, 2026
Scary situation unfolding in DC. https://t.co/0FXFN0hq3c
The United States Secret Service later confirmed that one individual was taken into custody. No injuries were reported among the president, vice president, or cabinet members.
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Donald Trump also announced that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner would be rescheduled within the next 30 days. He added that he would address the situation in a press briefing from the White House Press Briefing Room shortly after the evacuation.
Dana White Details Proximity To Donald Trump During Evacuation
Dana White said he was seated close to Donald Trump when security personnel entered the room searching for the suspect.
The UFC CEO said, “We were sitting right in front of the table. Right in front of where the President was. Nobody got tackled, but guys came in looking for a shooter. They came to our table, I thought the shooter was by us or something.”
The evacuation followed standard law enforcement procedures after reports of a potential threat. Officials moved attendees out of the venue while security teams secured the area and searched for the suspect.
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Law enforcement later confirmed that the situation had been contained and that one person was in custody. The event was postponed, and officials indicated it would be held again at a later date.
