A dramatic turn of events in history. After being the scene of the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan in 1981, the Hilton hotel in Washington witnessed a new act of gun violence targeting the presidency of the United States of America, with the shooting that occurred this Saturday evening on the sidelines of the annual press gala – an event which Donald Trump had previously refused to attend. However, this did not panic the White House tenant, who was still forcefully evacuated from the stage he was on. “What an evening in Washington,” wrote Donald Trump on his Truth social network, immediately defending law enforcement in general, and the Secret Service in particular. He praised their actions, stating, “They did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and courageously.”
It is not yet certain, at the time of writing these lines, whether the assailant from this Saturday specifically targeted Donald Trump during the event which brought together over 2,000 guests. If that were the case, this incident would mark the third time in less than two years that he has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. In February of this year, an armed man had entered his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida with a rifle before being shot by the police. And everyone remembers the shot he endured in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning. The image of his bleeding ear and raised fist had circulated worldwide.
During his first term (2016-2020), two assassination plots had targeted him. This makes him, at almost 80 years old, the American president most targeted by assassination attempts, despite the long history of political violence in the USA, from Lincoln to Kennedy.
The Hilton Hotel in Washington “not particularly secure”
Facing these threats on his life, is the security around the White House tenant sufficient? The measures taken on Saturday prior to the press gala raise questions even for the main interested party. The Hilton hotel in Washington is “not a particularly secure building”, noted Donald Trump, who sees this incident as publicity for the grand ballroom he wishes to add to the White House. However, he considered the security setup to be “very secure” since the shooter was stopped before entering the large reception hall where he was located.
Yet, dinner attendees indicated that only one metal detection portal had been installed outside the hall, with no similar screening at the entrance or even at the hotel’s main entrance. More intriguingly, the Hilton hotel had reportedly not been thoroughly searched by law enforcement before the arrival of the American president and several senior officials from his administration. The present guests were not screened as the presumed assailant had been staying there for several days, specifically to evade checks and bring in the rifle, handgun, and bladed weapons he was likely armed with. These elements do not seem to align with Secret Service requirements, whose agents have broad prerogatives to ensure the president’s security – a protection he cannot refuse. And especially do not seem in line with the level of threat surrounding Donald Trump.
“They showed exemplary courage”
For the director of the American Secret Service, Sean Curran, the swift arrest of the suspect nevertheless proves “the effectiveness of our multi-level protection,” according to statements gathered by the Washington Post. “Tonight, we concretely observed the work that our courageous agents carry out every day,” declared Sean Curran, who was present at Butler. “It is not an easy task, and I can tell you they showed exemplary courage.”
How could an individual heavily armed end up in the same building as the President of the United States of America? What were his motivations? These were the main questions facing FBI investigators on Sunday, tasked with the investigations. Taken down and arrested on site, the suspect was held for questioning and currently faces two charges: use of a firearm in a violent crime, and assault on a federal agent with a dangerous weapon since a law enforcement member was hit by a projectile stopped by his bulletproof vest. He is set to appear in court on Monday.
/2021/12/14/61b8b99cec1d8_violaine-jaussent.png "Tirs à un dîner avec Donald Trump : l'assaillant semblait viser des responsables de l'administration et \"vraisemblablement\" le président, selon le ministre de la Justice")
