President Trump’s news conference interrupted by ‘shooting’ outside White House
President Trump dramatically cut short a news conference in the White House press briefing room on Monday evening after what he later described as “a shooting” outside the building.
Video Transcript
DONALD TRUMP: [INAUDIBLE] It looks like they're just about gonna be topping records--
- Sir.
DONALD TRUMP: --hopefully soon.
- [INAUDIBLE].
DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me?
- I think we need to step outside. [INAUDIBLE].
DONALD TRUMP: Oh. Excuse me.
- What's going on, Mr. President?
- --President, what's going on?
- [INAUDIBLE].
- Excuse me.
- What's happening?
DONALD TRUMP: There was a shooting outside of the White House, and it seems to be very well under control. I'd like to thank the Secret Service for doing their always quick and very effective work. But there was an actual shooting, and somebody's been taken to the hospital. I don't know the condition of the person. It seems that the person was shot by Secret Service.
So we'll see what happens. And yeah, did you have something? Go ahead.
- Mr. President, do you have any details about the shooting? Were they targeting someone?
DONALD TRUMP: No, there are no details. We just found out just now. It was outside of the White House, this area right over here. And they'll have details for you in a little while.
Somebody is taken to the hospital. It seems that the shooting was done by law enforcement at that person, at the suspect. It was the suspect who was shot. And this just took place-- a couple of people outside. I notice a man named John Roberts, who you know very well.
- Yes?
DONALD TRUMP: He reported that he heard shots. He was outside, and he heard two shots.
- Mr. President, was this--
- I had--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
DONALD TRUMP: We don't know yet. We don't know. They're going to find that out.
- Do you know if the individual said anything, sir, mentioned a name--
DONALD TRUMP: We don't know that yet.
- --anything like that?
DONALD TRUMP: No. We don't know that yet.
- And you can confirm it was the Secret Service that did shoot the suspect?
DONALD TRUMP: It seems to be. Yeah.
- It seems to be.
- Where were you taken, Mr. President? Were you taken to the bunker?
DONALD TRUMP: No, we were taken just out over to the Oval Office.
- What did the Secret Service tell you when you were outside of the room?
- What did they tell you so far?
DONALD TRUMP: Just told me when he came up-- you pretty much saw it like I did. He said, sir, could you please come with me? So you were surprised. I was surprised also. I think it's probably pretty unusual, but very, very professional people that do a fantastic job, as you know.
So it seems to me-- it seems to be, from what I was said, there was a shooting. It was law enforcement shot someone. Seems to be the suspect, and the suspect is now on the way to the hospital. I can't tell you the condition of the suspect.
- Was the suspect armed?
DONALD TRUMP: There was nobody else injured. There was no other law enforcement injured. And I just want to-- I will get on to the press conference, but I do want to thank Secret Service. They are fantastic, the job they do.
- --President, was the suspect armed? Do you know, was he armed?
DONALD TRUMP: From what I understand, the answer is yes.
- He was armed, Mr. President?
DONALD TRUMP: That's what I understand. I don't know. You'll have to ask them.
