NationalWatch

King Charles III will head to the White House Tuesday afternoon to meet with President Trump after a man opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) on Saturday evening.

“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned,” said a Buckingham Palace spokesperson on Sunday.

Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital that “the protective model for [Saturday] night’s event proved effective, the key takeaway for future events is that enhancements should be expected at every level, as that is how the model is designed to function.”

“Every protective decision is driven by intelligence amid a dynamic and currently elevated threat environment. We are actively focused on identifying the trigger for this incident and fully understanding the factors that led to it,” he added.

President Donald Trump, the first lady, and administration officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton ballroom shortly after the WCHD began when a suspect rushed a security checkpoint and opened fire on Secret Service agents. The investigation is ongoing, and the agent is expected to recover.

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE EXCLUDED FROM TROOPING THE COLOUR AS ROYALS PREPARE TO SHOW UNITED FRONT: EXPERT

King Charles’ first U.S. visit remains on track, officials close to the matter told Fox News Digital.

“It’s been 87 years since King George VI became the first king to ever step foot on American soil, and next week King Charles III will become the second British king to ever visit the Land of the Free,” former advisor to Prime Minister Boris Johnson Thomas Corbett-Dillon told Fox News Digital.

The four-day trip aims to mark America’s 250th birthday—which celebrates the nation’s freedom from British rule. Charles’ visit comes against the backdrop of the war with Iran and criticism from Trump of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The visit will kick off Monday morning with a formal ceremony at the White House and a ceremonial military review. The King and Queen will participate in several events, including a private tea.

“This is a monumental occasion, coming 250 years since the revolutionaries declared themselves free from the rule of the British crown. They now welcome that same crown with love, adoration, and open arms,” said Corbett-Dillon.

Charles will deliver an address to Congress after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, first delivered a speech at the Capitol during a state visit to the U.S. in 1991.

The last king to visit the U.S. was King George VI in 1939, when he traveled with Queen Elizabeth to strengthen ties prior to World War II.

KING CHARLES URGES ‘DIGITAL DETOX,’ RECONCILIATION IN CHRISTMAS SPEECH AFTER YEAR OF ROYAL DRAMA

“The King is making one of the most politically sensitive trips of his life, visiting a White House that has publicly denounced his own Prime Minister on multiple occasions,” said Corbett-Dillon.

While the visit will celebrate the U.S.-U.K. alliance, it also unfolds at a politically sensitive moment, with tensions lingering over Iran and Trump’s public criticism of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with,” said Trump on March 3. “By the way, I’m not happy with the U.K. either,” the president continued, referring to Starmer blocking the United States’ use of U.K. bases to launch attacks on Iran. 

Trump’s frustration with Starmer stems from Britain’s refusal to fully join the U.S. campaign against Iran, and has urged U.S. allies to get involved militarily or operationally, particularly around protecting oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz.

KING CHARLES WON’T MEET PRINCE HARRY DURING MONARCH’S US STATE VISIT: EXPERTS

“The President may be tempted to push the King to back him in Iran,” Corbett-Dillon said.

The monarch’s visit follows Trump’s state visit to the U.K. in September.

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“The special relationship remains above the day-to-day politics of our two nations and is cemented in our shared heritage and history,” said Corbett-Dillon.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman, Stephanie Nolasco, and Ashley Papa contributed to this repor

New York City’s socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani is “moving the goalposts” on poverty in the nation’s largest city with his newly unveiled racial equity plan to justify a massive expansion of government intervention, a top city policy analyst warns.

Mamdani released his “Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan” earlier this month, which quickly received pushback from President Donald Trump’s Justice Department as well as from the Manhattan Institute’s Santiago Vidal Calvo, who told Fox News Digital that when the report uses a “true cost of living” to claim 62% of New Yorkers can’t make ends meet in the city, it’s a ploy to declare a crisis that needs more government.

“What he’s essentially doing is moving the goalposts,” Vidal Calvo explained. “He’s essentially saying that what the federal government qualifies as somebody below the poverty line — which is essentially like $34,000, $35,000 a year, those might be like 2024 numbers, but it’s pretty close to that — we’re essentially moving the goalposts so anybody under $160,000 with children cannot afford to live in New York City.”

“Those numbers, in reality, if you live in New York City, they don’t sound crazy, they don’t sound, you know, high. But in all of reality, for any single person across America, $160,000 is, you know, a breadwinner. It’s essentially enough money to raise a family and to have children and to have a good life. So when we move the goalposts into that direction, without actually recognizing what are the underlying issues of the disease, what are the actual problems that make New York City expensive, then we’re just attributing a problem and throwing a dart at the board and saying, ‘This is it.'”

MAMDANI RIPPED AFTER CONCEDING KEY CAMPAIGN PLEDGE WON’T HAPPEN THIS YEAR

The “reality” of the situation, Vidal Calvo says, is that you “don’t make a place more affordable by making people earn more” but instead the city needs to “ask the right questions” about policies that drive wage growth and new housing development. 

“So the issue here is that we are focusing on a problem that the socialists in City Hall want to believe—that if you give people more money, they essentially can access more things,” Vidal Calvo said. “But you’re not asking what is the tradeoff of giving people more money. And just by placing that the ‘True Cost of Living’ in New York City is $160,000 a year for people with children, that doesn’t necessarily mean that people, first, can afford that life or, second, they are able to get those salaries.”

MAMDANI’S RESPONSE TO TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE SPARKS CONSERVATIVE BACKLASH: ‘ROOTING FOR THE AYATOLLAH’

The high cost of living in New York City is driven by several factors, including housing, which is an area where Vidal Calvo says City Hall needs to “encourage more housing being built around the city.”

“That’s how you lower the price of housing,” he said. “It’s not by freezing rent, it’s not by stabilizing markets—normally what that leads is to more and higher prices.”

Rather than a giant administrative effort to grow government with more departments and staffers, Vidal Calvo explained that the city should instead be reforming zoning to build faster, slash permitting delays, make it easier to establish child care facilities, reduce administrative barriers, and create opportunities for employers to hire more people and recruit talent from across the United States.

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Mamdani’s racial equity plan has drawn intense scrutiny from conservatives over its conclusions on race and efforts to base government action to address racial disparities, including from DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon who said she will “review” the matter.

Vidal Calvo, who recently published a New York Post op-ed on Mamdani’s plan, told Fox News Digital, “I feel like this is just another way to put DEI on the table without calling DEI.”

“And we have now found that in academia, in many government programs, in many existing architectures of social structures, DEI does not work, and unfortunately, this might be just another case in which it fails, and not because of the well-intended reason of trying to make everybody earn a living, because I feel like that’s a good intention that everybody can have,” Vidal Calvo explained. “But it’s about the solutions that they’re trying to actually approach. It’s about methodology of how they’re actually trying to approach this method. You cannot argue that just because somebody is a different race, it’s become insanely more unaffordable to make a living in New York City. That’s not how it works.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.

The Pentagon on Sunday announced that a lethal strike was conducted on another vessel allegedly carrying suspected narco-traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people on board.

The U.S. Southern Command said it conducted a “lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” at the direction of the leader of the Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the Southern Command claimed in a press release.

US MILITARY KILLS TWO SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN STRIKE ON DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN THE PACIFIC

Three men on the vessel were killed, but no U.S. forces were harmed in the attack on the ship, according to the Southern Command.

This was the 55th strike since the U.S. began targeting boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in early September.

The latest strike brings the death toll in the Trump administration’s attacks on ships carrying people it accuses of drug smuggling to at least 186.

US CONDUCTS STRIKE ON ANOTHER BOAT CARRYING SUSPECTED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, KILLING 6 PEOPLE

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last fall or provide evidence of drugs on board.

Last month, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth argued, “Going on offense with Operation Southern Spear has restored deterrence against the narco-terrorist cartels that profited from poisoning Americans.”

The administration has been scrutinized in recent months over the strikes by Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

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“I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God’s inspiration in life, but they don’t give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats,” Paul said in January. “Are they terrible people in the boats? I don’t know. They’re probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia.”

The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

Former President Barack Obama said the motive behind the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner remains unclear, even as investigators review writings from the suspect outlining plans to target President Donald Trump and members of his administration.

Obama’s statement on X focused first on the lack of confirmed details about what drove the attack before condemning violence more broadly and praising the Secret Service. 

“Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy,” Obama wrote on X. “It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that U.S. Secret Service Agents show every day.

“I’m grateful to them – and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay,” he added.

BONGINO QUESTIONS SECURITY PERIMETER AT WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER: ‘COMPRESSED TOO FAR’

Fox News Digital has reached out to Obama’s team for clarification on his comments.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen of California, who allegedly opened fire at the Washington Hilton during the annual event attended by Trump and senior administration officials.

Federal law enforcement officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that after Allen’s arrest, he said he intended to target Trump administration officials and had prepared a manifesto detailing his intent, while also sharing anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.

‘ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM’: CALLS FOR MORE ACTION AFTER SECRET SERVICE AGENTS SUSPENDED FOR SECURITY FAILURE

The writings identified administration officials as potential targets and expressed grievances tied to the Trump administration, with investigators examining those statements as part of what may have driven the attack.

Law enforcement officials have not formally confirmed a definitive motive as the investigation remains ongoing.

During an interview with “60 Minutes” host Norah O’Donnell that aired Sunday evening, Trump took issue after she read a portion of the alleged manifesto.

ILHAN OMAR BLAMES TRUMP’S RHETORIC FOR SURGE IN DEATH THREATS, INCLUDING SPRAY ATTACK: ‘SO OBSESSED WITH ME’

O’Donnell referenced passages in which the suspect appeared to outline a motive, writing that administration officials were “targets” and making inflammatory accusations against Trump before asking for the president’s reaction.

“I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would…you’re horrible people,” Trump told O’Donnell.

“You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with all stuff that has nothing to do with me,” he continued, adding he was exonerated.

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Trump then took direct aim at the host.

“I’m not any of those things,” he said. “You should be ashamed of yourself reading that. You shouldn’t be reading that on ‘60 Minutes.’ You’re a disgrace, but, go ahead, let’s finish the interview.”

Suspected gunman Cole Allen checked into the Hilton Hotel hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday, just one day before the event, sources told Fox News.

Allen, 31, a computer scientist from Torrance, California, is accused of opening fire at the event where President Donald Trump was in attendance. Initial reports say Secret Service agents fired 3-4 shots, and Allen fired at least one.

The FBI is conducting a ballistics investigation at its lab in Quantico, and authorities are also working with credit card companies to go through purchases going back in time.

Authorities said Allen was initially talking with police, but he began refusing to speak as of Sunday morning.

NORTH CAROLINA MAN RECOUNTS SHOOTING AFTER TRUMP BANNER TORN FROM MOTHER’S YARD: ‘SOME PEOPLE JUST SNAP’

Sources say Allen is scheduled for his initial court appearance sometime Monday.

Allen told law enforcement after his arrest Saturday night that he was targeting Trump administration officials, according to senior federal law enforcement sources.

Allen said he planned to “shoot Trump administration officials,” the sources said.

TRUMP WOULD-BE ASSASSIN IN BUTLER HAD MASSIVE ‘DIGITAL FOOTPRINT,’ ALLEGES COLUMNIST

Authorities have said Allen rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the event at the Washington Hilton while armed with multiple weapons. He allegedly then opened fire, striking a Secret Service officer in his ballistic vest.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday that authorities do not believe Allen worked with any accomplices. Trump said Saturday night that the shooter was a “lone wolf.”

“Well, what President Trump said is that as of now we think that, that’s what the police chief said as well,” Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “But this is an investigation that is 12 hours, 13 hours old, and so those facts can change, and they often do change. And if there’s anybody else involved we will leave no stone unturned to find out everything we can about that.”

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“But from what we know right now, from what we know given what happened last night, and the evidence we’ve gathered so far, we don’t believe anybody else was involved, but again, we have a lot of work left to do, and a lot of evidence left to go through and to collect,” Blanche added.

Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.

A Wisconsin brewery and taproom known for promising “free beer” when President Donald Trump dies is drawing renewed scrutiny for posting on Facebook “we almost got #freebeerday.”

The Minocqua Brewing Company is owned by Wisconsin Democrat Kirk Bangstad, a former state Assembly candidate who has repeatedly used the brewery’s brand to attack Trump and Republicans. The brewery’s social media lamented Saturday night’s foiled attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” the company’s post read, although Fox News could not immediately identify the poster’s tie to the owner. “Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know.”

IDAHO BAR OWNER FACES DEATH THREATS AFTER VIRAL PROMO OFFERING FREE BEER FOR ASSISTING ICE

“Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens,” the post concluded.

Bangstad was the Democrat nominee for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District in 2020, according to Ballotpedia, but lost the general election.

Minocqua Brewing sells politically themed merchandise, including shirts saying, “I wish it was free beer day,” and pitches its progressive brand that pairs beer with activism and “snarky progressive merch.”

DONALD TRUMP JR. WARNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS ‘NOT GOING BOTH WAYS’ AS HE MOURNS CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH

Fox News Digital previously reported on the brewery’s “free beer day” vow. In January, Fox News highlighted a Minocqua Brewing message offering “free beer, all day long, the day he dies,” and noted Bangstad’s comment that he would welcome people to celebrate Trump’s “impending death” with one caveat: “no red hats allowed.”

Fox News also identified Bangstad as the founder of the Minocqua Brewing Company super PAC, which targets Trump and Republicans. Also, Bangstad once sued to keep Trump off the Wisconsin ballots before the 2024 presidential election.

The fresh backlash followed Saturday night’s security scare at the WHCA dinner in Washington, where Trump and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated after shots were fired outside the ballroom.

Fox News reached out Sunday to Bangstad, the brewery and the Wisconsin Democratic Party. In a January statement to Fox News, Bangstad welcomed the celebration of the “impending death” of Trump.

PENTAGON CALLS CHARLIE KIRK POSTS ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’; DEM WARNS DISCIPLINE IS ‘UN-AMERICAN’

Bangstad and Minocqua Brewing have drawn repeated scrutiny beyond their anti-Trump messaging. Wisconsin Public Radio reported Bangstad was charged last year in a harassment case tied to a dispute with a local newspaper publisher, and Wisconsin newspaper reporting said he later entered a no-contest plea in a disorderly conduct case and was found guilty earlier this month.

JB PRITZKER CONDEMNS POLITICAL VIOLENCE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH, SAYS TRUMP’S RHETORIC ‘OFTEN FOMENTS IT’

Trump-backed House candidate Michael Alfonso called out the normalization of Bangstad’s rhetoric in the state.

“This brewery is owned by a man named Kirk Bangstad, and he’s not just some random crazy guy,” Alfonso posted on X. “Kirk is friends with current Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong. He previously employed Rebecca Cooke, the Democrat currently running against Derrick Van Orden, and was himself the Democratic nominee against my father-in-law, Sean Duffy, in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District—where I am now running for office.”

TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST

Wisconsin Republicans and the Republican National Committee are calling out the ties to Bangstad.

“Wisconsin Democrats are so sick in the head that an attempted murder is funny to them,” RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital on Sunday morning.

“All Wisconsin Democrats, including Rebecca Cooke, must immediately condemn this disgusting behavior.”

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Fox News also reached out to Cooke’s campaign for comment.

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this story.

The suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting told law enforcement after his arrest Saturday night that he intended to target Trump administration officials, senior federal law enforcement sources confirmed to Fox News.

Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of Torrance, Calif., adding that he prepared a manifesto outlining his intent and shared anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.

SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY AS WHCD ATTENDEES CITE INCONSISTENT SCREENING BEFORE SHOOTING

As the dinner was underway, Allen allegedly rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton while armed with multiple weapons and opened fire, striking a Secret Service officer in his ballistic vest.

Agents returned fire and tackled Allen to the ground. The suspect and the injured officer were transported to a hospital. The Secret Service agent is expected to recover.

The incident adds to a growing list of threats against President Donald Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.

SECRET SERVICE IN LINE OF FIRE AT WHCA SHOOTING STILL UNPAID DUE TO DEM-LED SHUTDOWN

Overnight, the FBI and local law enforcement secured Allen’s home in Torrance, California. A federal judge in the Central District of California is expected to approve a search warrant, which would allow investigators to search the residence.

The White House said Sunday that Allen’s brother contacted the New London Police Department in Connecticut prior to the shooting, reporting that Allen had sent family members an alleged manifesto outlining his intent to target administration officials.

Officials also said Allen’s social media included anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric. President Trump speaking on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing,” described Allen as “a very troubled guy,” citing the manifesto.

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SUSPECT CHECKED INTO HILTON HOTEL ONE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING: SOURCES

Allen’s sister, Avriana Allen, told investigators in Rockville, Maryland, that her brother had made increasingly radical statements and often spoke about doing “something” to address issues in the world.

She said he had purchased two handguns and a shotgun, which he stored at their parents’ home without their knowledge, and that he regularly trained at a shooting range.

She also told authorities that Allen was affiliated with a group called “The Wide Awakes” and had attended a “No Kings” protest in California.

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Investigators believe Allen traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., by train, with a stop in Chicago, according to acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. He said the investigation is ongoing and that more details are expected as formal charges are filed.

Blanche also noted that while the motive remains under investigation, authorities preliminarily believe Allen was targeting administration officials.

Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, Bill Melugin and Matt Finn, along with Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace, Peter D’Abrosca and Asra Q. Nomani contributed to this report.

A shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is raising fresh questions about security at one of Washington’s highest-profile events, with some attendees describing what they saw as lapses in screening and access control.

While the Secret Service and federal law enforcement moved quickly to secure President Donald Trump and other officials, accounts from attendees and lawmakers have painted a mixed picture of the security posture at the Washington Hilton.

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING SHARPENS FOCUS ON TRUMP’S BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL

Misha Komadovsky, a journalist for Germany’s DW, shared a photo on X of the paper ticket used by attendees to gain access to the event, saying it was “the only thing required” for entry into the Washington Hilton ballroom. “There was no security screening prior to entering the lobby,” he wrote.

ABC News reporter Beatrice Peterson, who wrote on X that she has attended the event for more than a decade, offered a more measured assessment, saying the overall security posture appeared consistent with past years. 

She noted that pre-event gatherings tend to be more fluid, while the dinner itself is typically more tightly controlled, and that security — both plainclothes and uniformed — is always present inside and outside the venue.

Peterson described the crowd and security presence as “typical-ish” for a year in which the president attends the dinner, suggesting no obvious deviations from past practice.

However, she said multiple investigations are expected to examine what happened and whether any failures occurred, adding the incident could permanently change how the event is handled going forward.

SECRET SERVICE IN LINE OF FIRE AT WHCA SHOOTING STILL UNPAID DUE TO DEM-LED SHUTDOWN

Harrison Fields, a former White House principal deputy press secretary, told “FOX & Friends” there were “no checkpoints to get into the hotel,” adding that the gunman could have been “roaming” and observing attendees before the incident.

“There was a VIP reception right off the main ballroom where Cabinet secretaries were, where the president could have been — and there was no security apparatus leading up to that point,” Fields said.

Fields acknowledged that the Secret Service and local law enforcement “took immediate steps to keep us safe,” but said there was “no real buffer” in place, which he noticed as soon as he arrived.

WORLD LEADERS CONDEMN ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ VIOLENCE AFTER ARMED ATTACK DISRUPTS WH CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER

Even as some attendees described the security posture as typical, lawmakers offered a far more critical assessment.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., pointed to what he described as “glaring security issues,” even as he acknowledged that the Secret Service and federal law enforcement “acted swiftly” to secure the ballroom and move President Donald Trump and other officials to safety.

In a post on X, Lawler said there was no photo ID requirement or verified attendee list, which he noted is standard for White House events. He also cited the absence of magnetometers before entry to the ballroom and said multiple pre-event receptions with limited security created potential access points.

Lawler said the building remained open to the public and raised concerns about accountability inside the room, noting there was no clear handle on how many members of Congress were present or where they were seated.

He called for a “complete and thorough after-action” review, focusing on how the gunman moved from his hotel room into what he described as a secure area with multiple firearms.

ARMED MAN SHOT AND KILLED AFTER ‘UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY’ INTO MAR-A-LAGO: SECRET SERVICE

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who attended the dinner, also raised concerns about the venue itself. “We were there front and center,” Fetterman said. “That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government.”

Similarily, Kari Lake, a Trump ally in attendance, echoed criticism of the security measures. “I was there. Security was terrible at the event,” Lake wrote on X. “It was the easiest event I’ve ever gained access to that the president was at. It was so bad we talked about it at our table before the shots rang out.”

The Washington Hilton has long hosted high-level government events, including gatherings attended by the president, vice president and members of Congress beyond the annual dinner.

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Last week, the First Lady’s Luncheon was held in the same ballroom, where first lady Melania Trump and second lady Usha Vance delivered remarks.

The Secret Service’s familiarity with the venue helped enable a swift response — and is one reason the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been held there annually since 1968.

EXCLUSIVE: A major change to the National Park entry fee structure lambasted by Democrats as discriminatory has led to a moderate windfall for conservation efforts undertaken by the Department of the Interior.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., led a December letter co-signed by Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and others slamming DOI Secretary Doug Burgum’s plan to increase national park annual passes to $250 for foreign visitors while the $80 rate for residents remains in place. An additional $100 is also tacked on to nonresident visitors at the most trafficked parks.

Padilla separately called the plan “discriminatory,” while Schiff and his co-signers said the move fails to meet public notice guidelines, risks retention of visitors’ personal information and raises questions about how DOI would facilitate the discrepant fee structure when a carload of people show up at the gate.

But the Interior Department went ahead with the plan, and in the first quarter of 2026, the disparate fee structure led to more than $2 million being collected from foreign visitors, Burgum’s office told Fox News Digital.

KRISTI NOEM’S FIRING FAILS TO SWAY DEMOCRATS AS DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

“The millions of dollars in new revenue generated from this administration’s Non-Resident park passes is proof that President Donald J. Trump was right to put affordability for Americans first as we change how the Department of Interior raises money to support conservation from foreign visitors,” said DOI press secretary Aubrie Spady.

“As we approach our great nation’s 250th birthday, initiatives like America First pricing, along with the addition of the America the Beautiful pass featuring President Trump, are delivering meaningful benefits for both our parks and the American people by celebrating our nation’s history while investing in its future.”

In their letter calling on Burgum to stop implementation of the program, Padilla and Schiff expressed concern about the effect on “understaffed” park workers, what they said was an already cratering visitation rate from Canadian visitors — which Democrats have blamed on Trump’s sparring with Prime Minister Mark Carney and conjecture about annexing the “51st state” — and what would happen to visitors who cannot produce ID.

AMERICAN HISTORY WON’T BE DISPLAYED ‘IN A WOKE MANNER’ AT SMITHSONIAN, TRUMP SAYS

Burgum previously legitimized the disparate fee structure by noting that DOI and national parks are already partially subsidized by every American taxpayer – and that by charging a lesser rate to U.S. residents, the agency is acknowledging that and giving back to American parkgoers.

“These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Burgum said.

Pass sales in the first three months of 2024 totaled $13.7 million, and $14.3 million in 2025.

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As of this year, that figure increased to $16.7 million, with total nonresident revenue so far topping $4.9 million alone.

Padilla and Schiff did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

President Donald Trump infamously acknowledges he is choosing the world’s most “dangerous profession,” but surviving a third unprecedented assassination attempt — including one where he was shot in the ear — is only hardening his resolve.

“I’ve studied assassinations, and I must tell you, the most impactful people, the people that do the most” are the targets, Trump said in a Saturday night White House press briefing after an alleged would-be assassin was stopped by U.S. Secret Service at the Washington Hilton, the notorious site of former President Ronald Reagan’s shooting in 1981.

“You take a look at the people, Abraham Lincoln, I mean, you go through the people that have gone through this where they got them, but the people that do the most, the people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that they go after.

“They don’t go after the ones that don’t do much because they like it that way.”

TRUMP STANDS ‘STRONGER THAN EVER’ ONE YEAR AFTER SURVIVING PENNSYLVANIA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, STAFFERS SAY

In Trump’s case, three thwarted assassinations are part of his presidential lore, facing a string of shootings, plots and major security breaches unlike anything in history.

Trump cautiously admitted, “I hate to say I’m honored by that,” but noted that “the big names” and the big movers are the targets.

Saturday night’s chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington adding a new entry to a list already defined by gunfire in Butler, Pa. (July 13, 2024), an armed suspect at his Florida golf club (Sept. 15, 2024) and the Secret Service discovery of a sniper’s nest in eyeshot of where Air Force One lands at Palm Beach International in Florida.

SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING

Trump hailed the unity at the WHCA dinner in a room of some of his fiercest critics in the media, urging Americans to unify in divided political times.

COREY COMPERATORE’S WIDOW SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON FINAL MOMENTS WITH HER HUSBAND

“In light of this evening’s events, I asked that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our differences peacefully,” Trump said. “We have to resolve our differences.”

“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, Independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives — those words are interchangeable, perhaps, but maybe they’re not — but yet everybody in that room, big crowd, record setting crowd. There was a record setting group of people, and there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together,” Trump continued.

TRUMP SAYS HE WON NEW FANS AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: ‘SOMETHING HAPPENED WHEN I GOT SHOT’

“I watched, and I was very, very impressed by that.“

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed from the Washington Hilton after shots were fired outside the ballroom, where the president had been scheduled to speak.

Authorities said one officer was shot but protected by a ballistic vest, and the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen of California, was taken into custody before breaching the room.

HAWLEY URGES DHS SECRETARY NOEM TO DECLASSIFY ALL TRUMP BUTLER RALLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT DOCUMENTS

The three men at the center of the most serious known threats are now Thomas Matthew Crooks (Butler suspect, deceased), Ryan Wesley Routh (Palm Beach suspect, sentenced to life) and now Allen (arrested and charged Saturday night).

Crooks, 20, opened fire at the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI identified Crooks as the shooter after he hit Trump in the right ear and killed rallygoer Corey Comperatore before being shot dead by a Secret Service countersniper.

Routh, 59, received a life sentence for his attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September 2024. Prosecutors said Secret Service agents spotted him with a rifle near the course while Trump was playing, prompting an agent to open fire before Routh could get a shot off.

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AFTERMATH, REACTIONS FROM INNER CIRCLE REVEALED IN NEW BOOK

Allen, identified in Saturday night’s Washington incident, is the newest name on that list. Authorities have announced firearms and assault-related charges.

Law enforcement at a Saturday night news conference said Allen was armed with multiple weapons and allegedly fired during a rush at a security perimeter near the dinner, striking a Secret Service agent in his bullet-proof vest before being “tackled” to the ground without taking a bullet from the Secret Service.

“One officer was shot, but saved by the fact that he was wearing a obviously a very good bulletproof vest,” Trump told reporters, many still in their tuxedos, having left the canceled WHCA dinner, too. “He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing great. He’s great shape. He’s very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him.”

RYAN ROUTH TRIAL CONTINUES AFTER AGENT TESTIFIES SUSPECT AIMED RIFLE AT HIM ON TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE

Taken together, the three cases underscore how Trump’s security profile has changed from unusually fraught to historically extraordinary. One attempt drew blood on a campaign stage, another ended in a life sentence after a rifle ambush at a golf course, and the latest forced a presidential evacuation from one of Washington’s highest-profile public events.

US JUDGE ORDERS SUSPECT DETAINED FOR THREATENING TO KILL RICHARD GRENELL

Trump signaled Saturday night that he does not plan to retreat from public appearances despite the repeated threats.

“The response time was really incredible. and we’re going to reschedule,” Trump said. “We’re going to do it again.”

“We’re not going to let anybody take over our society,” he added. “We’re not going to cancel things out because we can’t do that. We wanted to stay tonight.”

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: SECRET SERVICE ACTING DIRECTOR REVEALS ‘NUMEROUS CHANGES’ AGENCY HAS IMPLEMENTED

Other thwarted plots and security scares

Beyond the three highest-profile cases, Trump has faced a broader pattern of violent threats and close calls dating back to his first campaign.

TRUMP RESPONDS TO CRITICS WITH COUNTERPUNCHES ACROSS POLITICS AND ONGOING CULTURE WARS

In June 2016, Michael Steven Sandford, a British national, allegedly tried to grab a police officer’s gun at a Trump rally in Las Vegas and later told investigators he intended to kill Trump, according to court records and contemporaneous reporting.

In March 2016, Thomas Dimassimo rushed the stage at a Dayton, Ohio, rally before Secret Service agents tackled him.

And in November 2016, Trump was briefly rushed offstage in Reno, Nevada, after someone in the crowd shouted “gun,” though authorities later said the man detained was unarmed.

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Public reporting has also documented later threats not carried out at Trump’s immediate location, including a 2020 ricin letter case; a 2024 murder-for-hire plot tied to Iran; a 2017 North Dakota incident in which a man stole a forklift and aimed it toward the presidential motorcade; and a February 2026 confrontation at Mar-a-Lago in which Secret Service fatally shot a 21-year-old who was armed with a shotgun and gas canister while Trump was in Washington.

The shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening has thrust fresh attention on President Donald Trump’s push to build a secure ballroom at the White House, a proposal he says could prevent such threats.

A gunman armed with multiple weapons opened fire near a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton — where hundreds of journalists, celebrities and government officials were attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

A Secret Service agent was struck but protected by a ballistic vest, and the suspect was quickly taken into custody, authorities said. Trump told reporters at the White House that he spoke with the agent, adding that he is expected to recover.

SECRET SERVICE IN LINE OF FIRE AT WHCD SHOOTING STILL UNPAID DUE TO DEM-LED SHUTDOWN

Trump pointed to the incident as evidence that the hotel venue was “not a particularly secure building,” arguing that a new White House ballroom — equipped with features like bulletproof materials — would offer a safer alternative.

But the proposal faces hurdles.

The project has been slowed by legal challenges over whether the administration bypassed required approvals, with courts weighing the scope of presidential authority as the case moves forward.

SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS

The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom has become a political flashpoint, with critics raising concerns about cost and preservation, while Trump and his allies frame it as a largely privately financed security upgrade.

While the White House has hosted countless ceremonial events, it has never had a dedicated ballroom. The new structure would fill that gap, replacing the historic East Wing with a space built to accommodate large-scale gatherings.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the ballroom would seat roughly 650 guests and reflect the building’s classical design.

“The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders… without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away,” Leavitt said during a July 31 briefing, calling the project “a much-needed and exquisite addition.”

FROM THE OVAL OFFICE TO THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER, THE GILDED MAKEOVER EXPANDS

Since returning to office, Trump, a former real estate developer, has embarked on a series of projects aimed at altering the look and feel of the White House and other iconic Washington landmarks.

In February, the president announced in a Truth Social post that the Trump Kennedy Center will close for a two-year renovation.

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In October, Trump unveiled a new monument planned to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary next year. The monument, a near twin of Paris’ iconic Arc de Triomphe, is meant to welcome visitors crossing the Memorial Bridge from Arlington National Cemetery into the heart of the nation’s capital.

Trump has also added golden accents to the Oval Office, added a “walk of fame” to the colonnade outside the Oval Office, renovated the Lincoln bathroom, paved part of the Rose Garden and installed two large American flags on the White House grounds.

Democrats are offering rare praise to President Donald Trump as his push to revitalize Washington, D.C., ahead of the semiquincentennial brings neglected landmarks back to life through various restoration projects.

“Cannot believe it’s taken this long, but this truly makes me so incredibly happy to see,” wrote ActBlue communications strategist Carter Christensen on X in reaction to the Meridian Hill Park fountain flowing once again after years of neglect – one of a handful of social media messages celebrating the update. 

Construction and landscaping projects across Washington, D.C., have accelerated in recent months as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday in July, and follow Trump’s larger effort to beautify the city and lower its crime trends. 

TRUMP-BACKED MEGA EVENT TO BRING ALL 50 STATES TO DC IN WORLD’S FAIR-STYLE BASH

As city fountains turned back on earlier this week, Democrats offered praise to see the city snap back to life. 

“Best thing this administration has done and it’s not even close,”  vice president of liberal think tank, Searchlight Institute, Tré Easton said on X Tuesday.

The Meridian Hill Park fountain reopened at the end of April after repairs to cracks in the walls and a revamped landscape. The 13-basin cascading fountain, one of the longest in North America, had sat dry after the National Park Service closed the park’s lower level for renovations in 2020. 

New fountains in Lafayette Park, located in downtown D.C., were also turned on for the first time.

“Can unequivocally say: all the fountains in the nation’s capital should work and I’m glad the Trump people got this done,” wrote another Democrat strategist on X.

“Credit where credit is due,” Trump critic and Substack author Anthony LaMesa posted to X on Tuesday. “The Trump administration is finally fixing fountains around Washington, DC that have been out of order for many years,” he added.

DEMS UNLOAD ON TRUMP’S LATEST DC UPDATE WITH ‘CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST’ BROADSIDE, LEGAL PUSH

Nine fountains are being rehabilitated and returned to service, while nine other operational fountains set to receive maintenance and system upgrades, according to the National Park Service.

“President Trump’s common sense efforts to make DC safe and beautiful again are so popular that even Democrats are publicly praising the President for these much-needed and long-overdue renovations,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. 

WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AT CRITICS CALLING TRUMP’S MASSIVE ARCH ‘TOO BIG’

“Our nation’s capital will look more spectacular than ever before for America’s 250th birthday all thanks to President Trump!” Rogers added in comment to Fox News Digital. 

President Trump requested a $10 billion Presidential Capital Stewardship Program in his 2027 budget. The funds would continue priority construction and rehabilitation projects in the Washington D.C. area.

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Trump has also pursued other high-profile changes tied to his broader vision for remaking the city, including White House renovations, the Trump-Kennedy Center name change and readying plans for installation of the Triumphal Arch — which have drawn Democratic scrutiny as the president’s “vanity” ventures.

The Army announced in a news release earlier this week that it is rolling out a new combat fitness test for frontline troops as leaders push to strengthen battlefield readiness amid ongoing recruiting challenges.

The Combat Field Test (CFT), which is age and gender-neutral, applies to soldiers in combat specialties, is designed to mirror the physical demands of modern warfare and signals a shift toward stricter, role-specific standards as the Army looks to boost readiness across its ranks.

The move comes after the Army missed recruiting targets in recent years, including falling roughly 15,000 soldiers short in 2022, according to U.S. Army Recruiting Command data, as leaders work to rebuild enlistment numbers and overall force strength.

While the service has since rebounded to meet its 2025 targets, leaders continue to work on long-term readiness.

The update follows broader changes to Army fitness standards in recent years.

In 2025, the service announced a new Army Fitness Test to replace the previous Army Combat Fitness Test, after months of data analysis and feedback, with officials saying the changes were designed to improve readiness and emphasize combat effectiveness.

TRUMP IS SENDING A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO OUR ENEMIES — AND ALLIES — WITH THE PENTAGON’S REBRAND

The update comes amid War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broader push to shift the military back to what he calls the “warrior ethos.”

“The Combat Field Test is a critical step forward in ensuring our soldiers serving in the most physically demanding specialties have the specific fitness required to dominate on the modern battlefield,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in a statement Wednesday. “This is about readiness, lethality and the well-being of our soldiers.”

A spokesperson for the Army did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Soldiers will have 30 minutes to complete seven events with the clock running continuously while wearing the Army Combat Uniform and boots.

ARMY UNVEILS NEW FITNESS TEST WITH TOUGHER STANDARDS — COULD YOU PASS IT?

They must first run one mile, followed by 30 dead-stop push-ups, a 100-meter sprint, 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform and a 50-meter carry of two Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each.

The test then requires soldiers to complete a 50-meter movement drill with a high crawl and a 25-meter three- to five-second rush before a final one-mile run.

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The Army will begin implementing the new test this month, and soldiers will be required to complete it annually.

During the first year of the rollout, soldiers will not face penalties as the Army phases in the new standard, part of a broader effort to prepare troops for the physical demands of modern combat.

Republican congressional candidate and CAL DOGE Director Jenny Rae Le Roux is slamming Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta for failing to crack down on widespread fraud after her watchdog group uncovered multiple cases she says state leaders ignored.

“Every day is opposite day when it comes to Gavin Newsom and Rob Bonta,” Le Roux told Fox News Digital. “Whatever they say, I generally believe the exact opposite is true and so when Gavin Newsom says that fraud is under control, what that means is that either he’s in on it or unwilling to do anything about it.”

“They are either unwilling to do anything or they are not wanting to do it and they’re just trying to spin what they are already doing in that way,” she added.

CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN SLAMS STATE’S HANDLING OF HOSPICE FRAUD AS SHE LOOKS TO FLIP BLUE SEAT

California has been at the center of the national fraud spotlight in recent months as the Trump administration has sent resources to the state to look into various accusations of fraud ranging from healthcare to homelessness to nonprofit organizations.

The CEO of a California hospice advocacy group told congressional lawmakers Tuesday that fraud in the industry is flourishing across the state, questioning how numerous fraudulent providers can continue to operate under the nose of regulators.

“You’d be amazed at how many hospices… the door you can walk up to in California and there is nobody there. Five months’ worth of mail that you can see stacked… nobody’s there,” Sheila Clark, the president and CEO of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA), said. “And that passed a survey. How did that happen?”

Le Roux said her group uncovered what she described as “intentional fraud” in Sacramento, alleging funds are being redirected toward “Democrat base-building.” Cal DOGE is a group that works to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in California that was launched in early 2026 by Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton.

The group says it has uncovered almost $700 million in waste, fraud, and abuse since its founding.

“We have been more effective with a group of volunteers in the last 10 weeks than Gavin Newsom and Rob Bonta have since they’ve been in office,” Le Roux said.

She added Bonta’s office wasted resources on legal battles against the Trump administration instead of focusing on fraud patterns that her group identified using artificial intelligence and financial data.

“Rob Bonta’s office billed over 150,000 hours a year going after President Trump and the Trump administration’s policies that equates to almost 200 lawyers times when you extrapolate it out over an entire year, which is one-sixth of his entire office, and larger than the DOJ office that’s actually doing something in California,” she said.

Le Roux, a cousin of Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, launched her campaign in March and is running in the GOP primary for California’s 47th Congressional District with a focus on combating fraud.

“It doesn’t just happen, it’s the normal way of operating, which is why, again, the people who’ve been perpetrating the fraud and leading the charge on it, Newsom and Bonta, can’t be the ones that are actually going to investigate it,” she said.

GOP SHERIFF LEADING CALIFORNIA POLL RIPS NEWSOM’S ‘LOVE AFFAIR’ WITH CRIMINALS

In one example, she said her group uncovered a case where $370 million in cannabis tax revenue was routed through an intermediary and split into smaller grants that went to unrelated programs. She pointed to systemic flaws, including limited federal prosecution for funds “mostly under $1 million.”

“There is no oversight, not one report that is required to explain where the money is spent,” she said.

As a result, she said that a lack of oversight has contributed to an estimated $80 billion annually in “fraud, waste, or gross overpayments,” arguing the problem is systematic.

Amid recent hospice fraud allegations, Le Roux said stronger oversight could have prevented the issue and curbed the fraud. Newsom’s office pushed back, saying enforcement falls to the federal government.

“These hospice agencies that we are now in the process of shutting down were licensed by the state of California,” she said. “They should have never been opened. Every piece of oversight that the state of California should have been administrating had not been happening and so this is a California issue.”

She said her group is pressuring officials to prosecute fraud.

“Newsom is trying to take credit for doing nothing instead of actually becoming a part of reform in our state, which is by the way, what not just Republicans, but independents and Democrats want desperately,” she said.

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However, she emphasized fraud extends beyond California.

“When money flows into California and nothing is checked, that is an American problem, not a California problem,” she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Newsom and Bonta for comment.

Newsom’s office has responded to critics in general in recent weeks by saying the state is “leading the nation in preventing fraud.”

“Since @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom took office: — $125 billion+ in fraud STOPPED — 1,200+ criminals ARRESTED — 83% reduction in EBT fraud in one year — New hospice licenses BANNED beginning in 2022,” Newsom’s press office posted on X last month.

When shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, the chaos tore through a ballroom that included a handful of people who had already lived through political violence. 

President Donald Trump was rushed from the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday evening, just as the dinner was kicking off in earnest, after apparent gunshots were heard. Video from inside the event showed attendees taking cover under tables as panic spread through the room.

The moment carried additional weight for several attendees whose lives had already been shaped by political violence, including Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk.

“The people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that [shooters] go after,” Trump said late on Saturday evening from a press conference at the White House. “They don’t go after the ones that don’t do much because they like it that way.” 

COREY COMPERATORE’S WIDOW SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON FINAL MOMENTS WITH HER HUSBAND

Trump, himself, has faced repeated threats on his life. 

There were two assassination attempts on Trump’s life in 2024, beginning in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a bullet grazed his ear after a gunman climbed onto a roof during a rally on July 13, 2024.

“Butler had one weak spot that we all know about. Somebody should have been up there, but even in Butler, we had our sniper on our side. Within 4.2 seconds, from a distance of about 400 yards, one shot, and he was gone,” said Trump.

A second incident unfolded just weeks later, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, when a suspect with a rifle was discovered near the golf course while Trump was present. Trump was not injured during that incident. 

FBI INVESTIGATES HUNTING STAND WITH SIGHT LINE TO TRUMP’S AIR FORCE ONE EXIT AREA AT PALM BEACH AIRPORT

Others in the room have also been shaped by political violence, bringing additional weight to the moment.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy (JFK), was swiftly escorted out of the room on Saturday, an HHS official told Fox News Digital. His family history is closely tied to two tragic assassinations. 

JFK was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, while riding in an open-top motorcade in Dallas, Texas, during a re-election campaign event.

YEARS OF CAMPUS ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS RESURFACE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER

Five years later, the secretary’s father, then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, was shot after he delivered a victory speech when he won the California Democratic presidential primary. 

He was struck three times, including a fatal shot to the head.

Similarly, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was among four people who were shot on June 14, 2017, at a Republican congressional baseball practice. The gunman, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was shot and killed by police.

Scalise was shot in the hip, leaving him critically wounded. He eventually recovered and returned to Congress months later.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the brave members of law enforcement who acted quickly to protect all of us attending tonight’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This is an event meant to bring people together. Violence has NO place in our country,” Scalise posted to X. 

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk was reportedly seen crying backstage after she ran out of the ballroom following the shots fired. Kirk has also experienced personal tragedy when her husband was assassinated in September 2025 while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Kennedy and Scalise for comment.

Trump hailed law enforcement during his press conference from the White House late on Saturday, saying the situation was “incredibly acted upon by Secret Service and law enforcement.” 

“[The suspect] had a long way to go. That was really a first line of defense. And they got him. And they really, you know, they acted incredibly,” he continued. 

The suspected gunman, identified as a 31-year-old Cole Allen of California, was taken into custody. 

A shooting near President Donald Trump and several Cabinet members Saturday night is putting a spotlight on the Secret Service’s funding shortfall amid an ongoing standoff in Congress.

A gunman opened fire outside the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., where celebrities, members of the press and administration officials had gathered, prompting a swift security response. The suspect is in custody and has not been identified. One Secret Service agent was reportedly shot in their protective vest but is uninjured.

The incident unfolded near a security screening area, prompting a rapid response from Secret Service agents and law enforcement.

The shooting comes amid a more than 60-day funding stalemate in Congress over the Department of Homeland Security — a lapse driven by Democrats blocking funding bills and rejecting multiple GOP-backed proposals to reopen the department.

TRUMP RUSHED AWAY FROM WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER AS SHOTS FIRED

The funding standoff centers on disputes over immigration enforcement policy and has raised concerns about resources for agencies including the Secret Service, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, vice president, their families and other senior U.S. officials, along with visiting heads of state, has faced growing demands in recent years.

The incident adds to a growing list of threats against Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.

DHS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER MAR-A-LAGO SHOOTING AS SECRET SERVICE AGENTS NEUTRALIZE ARMED SUSPECT

Senate Democrats declined to fund DHS through regular appropriations earlier this year following a deadly January incident involving immigration officers, triggering a funding lapse that has now stretched beyond 60 days. Negotiations remain stalled. Democrats are seeking changes to DHS operations, while Republicans are relying on alternative funding to continue enforcement.

Republicans are also considering funding the department for the remainder of Trump’s term through budget reconciliation, the same process used for immigration funding last year.

The shooting also comes as the Secret Service faces increasing pressure during a high-threat election cycle.

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Last week, Secret Service Director Sean Curran warned lawmakers the agency is not adequately staffed to handle the demands of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the 2028 presidential cycle, underscoring mounting concerns about staffing and resources.

As more details emerge from the investigation into this latest shooting, questions continue to mount over whether the Secret Service has the resources needed to handle an increasingly complex threat environment.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the Washington Hilton ballroom Saturday night at the start of the White House Correspondents Dinner as shots rang out. 

Trump was swiftly whisked away amid the chaos and reported that he and the first lady, and his Cabinet members are safe on Truth Social.

More than 40 years ago, the Washington Hilton was the site of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981 — a striking historical parallel as Trump was rushed from the same hotel Saturday night after gunfire erupted. It remains unclear if Trump was targeted in the chaos on Saturday evening. 

John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at Reagan after he delivered remarks to members of the AFL-CIO. One of the bullets ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest.

Secret Service agents pushed Reagan into a car and was quickly rushed to the George Washington University Hospital. He was famously known for being in good humor when he was about to undergo treatment.

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: SECRET SERVICE KNEW AIRSPACE PROTECTION WOULD END WITH FORMER PRESIDENT ONSTAGE

Three other people were also hit, including press secretary James Brady, a police officer and a Secret Service agent. 

Brady was shot in the eye and suffered brain damage. He ultimately died in 2014, and law enforcement officials ruled his death a homicide due to its connection to the 1981 shooting.

The hotel has since been dubbed by locals as the “Hinckley Hilton.”

Hinckley was acquitted of attempting to assassinate the president as a result of an insanity defense. His attorneys pointed to his narcissistic personality disorder and referenced his obsession with the movie “Taxi Driver” and actress Jodie Foster as the inspiration for the attack.

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President Trump returned to the White House and is set to deliver a statement in the White House Briefing Room.

President Donald Trump was rushed backstage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner before delivering his scheduled remarks amid a reported shooting incident, but the event is expected to continue.

Trump has not left the building and is expected to return to the stage, Fox News has learned. 

The president’s security detail told Fox News that someone had tried to pass through the Washington Hilton’s magnetometers with a gun and the counter-assault team neutralized the threat. Secret Service worked to determine whether there were any other threats and determined there were not, Fox News learned. 

FLASHBACK: OBAMA TRIED TO MAKE TRUMP A PUNCHLINE AT 2011 DINNER BEFORE RISE STUNNED WASHINGTON 

Attendees reported hearing shouting, shots fired and several people took cover under tables as Secret Service agents escorted the president, the first lady, Cabinet secretaries and others at the head table out of the room.

Secret Service agents moved into position at the head table with weapons drawn as they scanned the room.

Protesters had gathered outside the Washington Hilton earlier in the evening, though it is unclear whether the two events are connected.

“I was really concerned. I heard shots and everyone jumped down.” Fox News’ Bret Baie, who attended the dinner, said. “Within seconds the place was filled with Secret Service agents, guns drawn

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Trump was seen being quickly escorted out of the room by security and White House officials tell Fox News Digital both he, the First Lady and Karoline Leavitt are safe at this time.

The incident marked the first violent disruption of the dinner that dates back more than a century. 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Fox News Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report. 

King Charles III will meet with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his state visit to the U.S. next week, his office confirmed to Fox News Digital on Saturday.

The king and the mayor will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in New York City on Wednesday.

The meeting will come after the king is greeted by President Donald Trump at the White House after he arrives in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

The king and Queen Camilla will join the president and first lady Melania Trump for a private tea at the White House soon after landing at Joint Base Andrews and receiving a military arrival ceremony.

KING CHARLES’ ‘HIGH STAKES’ US VISIT TESTS HISTORIC ALLIANCE COULD SHAPE HIS REIGN: EXPERTS

On Tuesday the king and the president will hold a bilateral meeting and Charles is also expected to address Congress, the first British monarch to do so since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991.

The evening will end with a state dinner at the White House before the king and queen leave for New York on Wednesday.

“The Mayor will not meet privately with King Charles,” Mamdani’s press secretary Joe Calvello told Fox News Digital. “He was invited to join a number of New York elected officials next week at a wreath laying at the 9/11 memorial with members of the British royal family.”

CANADIAN PM CARNEY TO MEET TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE AFTER ELECTION INFLUENCED BY ANNEXATION THREATS

Sixty-seven British citizens were killed on 9/11.

The king will leave for his last stop, Virginia, on Thursday, where he’ll meet with indigenous and Appalachian cultural groups and attend a block party celebrating 250 years of American independence.

KING CHARLES TO VISIT US IN LANDMARK TRIP MARKING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

On Thursday, Trump told a BBC reporter he believes the king’s visit will “absolutely” ease current tensions between the U.S. and the U.K. that escalated over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reluctance to join Trump’s military action in Iran.

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“I know him well, I’ve known him for years. ⁠He’s ​a brave man, and he’s a ​great man,” Trump told the BBC, adding that his and Camilla’s visit will “absolutely be a positive.”

Trump made his last state visit to Britain in September, which included a state dinner at Windsor Castle.

CVS is disputing a Planned Parenthood claim of a “strategic partnership” on abortion pill access, as the organization’s website no longer includes language that previously referenced such a relationship.

“The team that manages our Reproductive Health program is unaware of anything related to that organization beyond standard abortifacient dispensing for individuals with prescriptions,” a CVS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The company added that it “do[es] not have a formal partnership with Planned Parenthood of Greater New York beyond filling prescriptions.”

CVS added it did not indicate any agreement or coordination with Planned Parenthood beyond dispensing legally prescribed medication.

ABORTION PILL MIFEPRISTONE STAYS AVAILABLE BY MAIL FOR NOW AS FDA FACES 6-MONTH REVIEW DEADLINE

“There’s a little bit of mystery here,” Shawn Carney, president of 40 Days for Life, told Fox News Digital.

“CVS is for sure downplaying their role,” he added. “They say they’re just distributing abortion pills — that’s exactly what Planned Parenthood wants them to do.”

But Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s annual report previously described a “strategic partnership with CVS,” stating that patients can “pick up the abortion pill from their local pharmacies.” That language was removed from the report as of April 24, 2026.

SUPREME COURT DIVIDED OVER STATE EFFORT TO DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD

“Through our strategic partnership with CVS, patients can now pick up the abortion pill from their local pharmacies, allowing them to experience abortion care, with the supportive guidance of our expert clinicians, in the comfort of their homes,” the report previously stated.

The report also stated that patients can pick up medication abortion prescriptions at CVS pharmacies.

Carney said he believes the arrangement would mark a first of its kind.

“This would make CVS the first publicly traded company in the United States to distribute abortion pills,” he said.

CVS maintains its role is limited to standard prescription dispensing, where permitted.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ATTACKS HAWLEY EFFORT TO STRIP FDA APPROVAL OF MIFEPRISTONE

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, however, did not directly address its use of the term “strategic partnership.”

“PPGNY makes strategic decisions about its operations and its association with various companies, partners, and organizations,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We are happy our patients are able to fill their abortion pill prescriptions at local pharmacies, including CVS, which expands access to critical health care.”

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s report appears to have been updated between April 23 and April 24, 2026. 

Fox News Digital contacted the organization for comment during that same timeframe. A version of the report viewed by Fox News Digital on April 23 described a ‘strategic partnership with CVS,’ while the current version, as of April 24, no longer includes that language.

The organization did not address the change in its statement.

Medication abortion, which typically involves a two-drug regimen, has increasingly been offered via telehealth in recent years after the FDA expanded access around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mifepristone also remains under federal scrutiny. 

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The FDA said as of April 2026 that it was conducting a safety study on the drug and had received reports of serious adverse events, including deaths, in patients associated with mifepristone while also saying those events cannot be definitively attributed to the drug.

“Nobody wants to go to their CVS and buy a Snickers bar and buy their milk and think, ‘oh, they’re distributing abortion pills through the drive-thru,’” Carney told Fox News Digital. “That’s not what we want.”

Planned Parenthood reported performing 19,673 medication abortions in its most recent fiscal year.