Bernd Debusmann JrWhite House reporter
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The White House will hold a meeting to review President Donald Trump’s security in the wake of Saturday’s shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a senior official confirmed to the BBC.
Trump has stood by the Secret Service, which has come under scrutiny after an armed suspect, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was able to get near a ballroom with more than 2,000 people, including Trump and cabinet members.
Officers subdued Allen, but not before a federal agent was wounded during a brief exchange of gunfire.
The US president is expected to attend several high-profile events this year, including the World Cup and events around the 250th anniversary of the US in July.
In a statement sent to the BBC, a senior White House official said that President Trump “personally thinks they [the Secret Service] did an excellent job” neutralising the suspect and escorting him and his team to safety. The agent was wearing a bullet-proof vest and is expected to fully recover.
Despite that confidence, the official added that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will hold a meeting early this week with operations staff and representatives of the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security to “discuss protocol and practices” for major events involving the president.
“The meeting will discuss the processes and procedures that worked to stop Saturday’s attempt, while exploring additional options to ensure all relevant components are doing everything possible to secure the many major events planned for President Trump in the months ahead,” the official added.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended the actions of the Secret Service, saying “they did their jobs” stopping the suspect from entering the ballroom and escorting Trump and other officials to safety.
But she added that changes to security procedures are possible. Any changes would not be publicised, to avoid prospective attackers learning what they are and finding ways around them.
Leavitt said the president’s attendance at events will be examined, but he does not want acts of violence to “change our American way of life.”
“There’s many exciting events I know the president wants to be a part of and will be a part of moving forward,” she said. “He’s undeterred in that way.”
Separately, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said he planned to set up a briefing with the Secret Service’s leadership to discuss the incident and security protocols.
Grassley, 92, is fourth in the line of succession after Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson – all of whom were at the correspondents’ dinner. He also heads the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The US Secret Service is responsible for protecting the president, vice-president and foreign heads of state, as well as high-profile events deemed national-security risks.
The shooting at the Washington Hilton has prompted concerns about whether the Secret Service provided adequate protection.
Guests at the dinner or those entering the hotel were not asked to show identification. Tickets to the dinner were marked with table numbers, but no names.
Only once did attendees pass through a security checkpoint with metal detectors, one level above the ballroom. The suspect was subdued near the top of stairs leading to the ballroom doors.
In addition to events surrounding the upcoming World Cup, President Trump is expected to attend a number of high-profile gatherings focused on America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, including a UFC fight on the lawn of the White House.
At a White House briefing about two hours after the shooting on Saturday, Trump acknowledged potential dangers at similar events.
“I can’t imagine that there’s any profession that is more dangerous,” he said.
