A senior adviser to President Donald Trump was met with silence and shushing after attempting to start a patriotic chant moments after gunfire disrupted a high-profile dinner in Washington.Dan Scavino, a longtime Trump aide, was seen in video clips climbing onto a chair and shouting “USA! USA! USA!” shortly after shots were fired near the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night. The reaction from those around him was awkward. Several attendees asked him to quiet down as security forces worked to control the situation.Footage shared online shows the tense atmosphere inside the Washington Hilton, where politicians, journalists and diplomats had gathered for the annual event. One voice can be heard calling out “God Bless America!” before Scavino began his chant. A nearby attendee briefly tried to join in, but quickly stopped as others shushed the effort.Political reporter Peter Hamby wrote on X that Scavino had “tried to start” the chant but “absolutely no one wanted to hear it,” adding that “[e]ven Trump folks” dismissed the moment as “[t]errible.”Armed Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers were visible in the room at the time. They were securing the area and escorting the guests to safety. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were escorted out, along with Cabinet members.The suspect was identified by authorities as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of California who was later taken into custody. He was armed and exchanged gunfire with officers before being subdued. BBC correspondent Gary O’Donoghue, who attended the dinner, said security at the venue “wasn’t particularly heavy”.Despite the scare, the attacker was stopped before reaching the main ballroom, where the president had been present. Trump later praised the Secret Service, saying they acted with “bravery” in removing him and other officials from danger.The episode follows two assassination attempts on Trump in 2024, including a shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania and another incident at his Florida golf course.
