Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that Donald Trump likened himself to a "caged lion" immediately following the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner in April. Trump expressed a strong desire to return to the ballroom despite the security threat.
"He was like a caged lion backstage, like just roaring to get out, like, 'We gotta go back out there,’" Leavitt said on the podcast "Hang Out with Sean Hannity." She added that she felt apprehensive about returning, contrasting with Trump's eagerness.
During the dinner at the Washington Hilton, an armed individual, identified as Cole Allen, allegedly entered the venue. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were quickly escorted from the ballroom by Secret Service agents. Allen, who was apprehended, reportedly wrote in a manifesto that his targets were Trump administration officials, with the exception of FBI Director Kash Patel.
Leavitt stated that Trump was insistent on returning to the event, even if it meant waiting for hours. "[Trump] really was asking hard questions of his detail, like, ‘Why can't I go? I will wait all night. I don't care if it's 3 in the morning, get it started,’" she recalled.
Preparations were made to potentially resume the dinner, and Leavitt noted that Trump wanted to make a public statement as soon as possible. He subsequently held a news conference at the White House that same night with other administration members to discuss the events.
Following the shooting, Trump reiterated his proposal to build a ballroom at the White House to ensure secure venues for official events. Trump later attended the rescheduled WHCA Dinner, which took place in July.