California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom made a strange remark about the shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner just hours after making fun of Trump’s appearance at the event. Before the event, the California governor’s press office thought it would be funny to mock the president.
“Good luck to ‘Little D’ tonight at the WHCD dinner,” Newsom’s team said in all caps, attributing the statement to “Governor GCN”. “Glad he is finally seeing a ‘mentalist.’ Long overdue!”
The mentalist in question was Oz Pearlman, who was seen in a video doing one of his famous mind readings for Trump just before the gunshots rang out.
Newsom’s press release went on to say that Pearlman “should work miracles” for the other people there.
The governor wasn’t at the dinner, but he was in DC this past weekend. People saw him at a number of events over the weekend, and he was on his way to a different new media event hosted by Substack.
The governor changed his mind about the event after shots were fired and a suspect was arrested.
“Relieved everyone at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is safe tonight based on initial reports,” Newsom said from his official X account. “A free press is foundational to our country. Violence is never acceptable.”
Former President Barack Obama also raised eyebrows and drew no shortage of scorn and derision for a take he posted to social media following the latest attempt against Trump’s life Saturday night at the White House Correspondents Dinner at a venue in Washington, D.C.
Obama claimed in a post that authorities had not yet established a motive for the incident, which was allegedly carried out by computer scientist Cole Allen, 31, of California, which was untrue at the time of his post.
“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.
But in fact, Allen reportedly sent a chilling manifesto to family some 10 minutes before the incident at the WHCD making it clear who his targets were – President Trump and his Cabinet – and why he was upset.Media outlets and social media also began releasing the manifesto before Obama’s remarks.
Allen was armed with multiple weapons, according to law enforcement officials who briefed reporters after the incident.
Officials said Allen allegedly rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton while carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives before being stopped by the U.S. Secret Service and other officers.
The annual dinner was underway Saturday night with Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet members, journalists, and other guests in attendance when gunfire erupted near the ballroom entrance.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as attendees took cover under tables while security personnel moved quickly toward the threat. Several guests initially believed the noise was caused by falling dishes before realizing shots had been fired, reports noted.
One federal officer was reportedly struck in a bullet-resistant vest during the confrontation. Officials said the protective gear likely prevented more serious injury, and the officer is expected to recover.
Reports also indicated the suspect may have assembled a “long weapon” in an unsecured area near the entrance before approaching the event. A volunteer working nearby told reporters the man appeared to remove parts from a bag and assemble the weapon shortly before the shooting.
Authorities said Allen was quickly subdued and taken into custody at the scene. He was later transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation before charges were announced.
Federal prosecutors said Allen is expected to face serious charges, including firearm-related offenses and assault on a federal officer.
Trump was safely evacuated from the ballroom by U.S. Secret Service agents along with other senior officials. He later spoke with reporters and praised the rapid response of security personnel. The White House Correspondents’ Association later confirmed that the dinner would be postponed and rescheduled following the shooting.