Karoline Leavitt Made an Eerie Prediction Before White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

Michelle Stein
15 Comments
Caroline Leavitt
Win McNamee/Getty Images

What To Know

  • White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made a joking remark about “shots fired” before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
  • President Trump, Vice President Vance, and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated after gunfire erupted.
  • The dinner was canceled for the night, with Trump later calling for it to be rescheduled.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made an eerie prediction right before the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.

On Saturday, April 25, Leavitt spoke with Fox News on the red carpet to tease what the night had in store. “It will be funny. It will be entertaining,” Levitt, 28, promised. “There will be some shots fired tonight in the room.”

She added, “Everyone should tune in, it’s gonna be really great. I’m looking forward to hearing it.”

Although the White House secretary had clearly been referring to verbal barbs prepared at the expense of the press and other political figures, literal gunshots were fired not long afterward.

Shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET, gunfire rang out, and President Donald Trump, 79, Vice President JD Vance, 41, and first lady Melania Trump, 56, were all immediately evacuated from the Washington Hilton ballroom, the Associated Press reported. Neither the trio nor Trump’s cabinet members were injured, and the suspected shooter was detained.


“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the attack. “The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly.”

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Ultimately, White House Correspondents’ Dinner was canceled for that night. Trump gave remarks from the White House that evening, sharing that a Secret Service agent was “doing great” after he was shot while wearing a bulletproof vest, per NPR.

“When you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone,” Trump said during the White House press conference, of the shooter, who has been identified as a 31-year-old man from California. “They seem to think he was a lone wolf.”

The POTUS called for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to be rescheduled within 30 days.

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  1. C

    colig6666

    Another clue that this was probably staged just like the last ones & his mysterious 1 day Covid he had in his first term. You can't really believe anything when these scum are involved.

    1. T

      Truth

      You are in desperate need of mental health assistance. And if you make one more not so veiled threat against the President I might report you where you can get it Free from the govt. You are crossing the line in some of you’re comments !!

  2. A

    Antonio Montealegre

    As much as I don't like the current president, the last thing I'd want is for him to be violently killed. I'm just not "an eye for an eye" guy.

    1. C

      colig6666

      Why not. He doesn't seem to have any problem with ICE violently killing unarmed American citizens among other atrocities. He didn't seem to care when thousands of Americans were dying of Covid & all he did was say wait for spring & it will go away.

    2. T

      Truth

      Gotta give you a measure of respect for that. Although you and I have vehemently disagreed at least you’re not a phsycho like colig6666 is. That guy is Dangerous !! It’s OK to even vehemently disagree but Violence is just Wrong !!

      1. B

        Becky

        Violence is wrong but if Mr President creates hatred and then wants the sympathy, Donald should resign and have someone who is not related to him run the country for the working class people, NOT the billionaire pals of Trump.

        1. B

          Becky

          How can anyone award Donald The Peace Prize by starting the war?

          1. T

            Truth

            Same thing could be asked about Obama. He didn’t do anything to deserve the award, but he got it anyway. And the President didn’t start the war the IRGC did 47+ years ago. But Trump will finish it one way or another.

        2. T

          Truth

          No he shouldn’t give in to the Hate and more importantly the Fear being generated by the Left. He was duly elected and has a right to serve just as all the Presidents did before him. I hope he doesn’t give in to the Hate & Fear mongers trying to For e they’re way on to us.

  3. T

    Truth

    OK just saw that Obama condemned the attack And said there is no place for violence in our country. So the Haters can Talk all they want but keep you’re violence out of the stiory.

  4. H

    Horsewoman

    Hey Truth. Nobody on the MAGA side ever condemns Trump for anything vile that he does. He is a rapist,murderer and a very nasty man. He is always putting everyone down that doesn’t bow to his feet or kiss his royal ass. Can’t imagine what anyone sees in him or praises him for.

  5. T

    Truth

    @ Antonio Montealegre and @ Becky Though we are on two totally different sheets of music and disagree. Probably would never agree. You two folks seem like nice and decent people. Something I’d like to ask you to think hard about for yourselves and on behalf of like minded people to you. Sooner or later there will be another Democrat President and probably a Majority in Congress. The Liberal Left has been setting Many dangerous precedents over a long time. 98% of it is based on pure unfiltered Hate for Trump. Do they not know that the GOP will remember these ? Biden (Obama did to) preached Bipartisan ( reaching across the aisle leadership) but they’re actions were every thing But. Have you considered that the Left has fought Trump on every single thing But wants HIM to cooperate with Them ??!!?? You have to Give some to Get some and so far I’ve not seen Any Give from the political Left less alone citizens of the Left. Stalemate is not good for Any of us sitting aside party affiliation or none.

  6. T

    Truth

    Much of liberal media promote this violent behavior to psychotic lunatics out there. People like Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and many of the “news” journalists instill violent thinking in these mentally warped individuals. They wrongly think they will be Hero’s if they attack the President and/or his staff. But much more than likely they’ll end up deceased or in Fed. Prison for life. Course there is the case of Luigi Mangione who Cowardly shot and killed a man in cold blooded Murder. He Is being hailed as a Hero by the Left. And looks like he’s only gonna have the more minor charges for which he’ll probably get probation from a liberal judge. Same for Robinson who Murdered Charlie Kirk because he disagreed with Charlie’s beliefs. In They’re Warped World they think they have a Right to kill people they don’t like. But small wonder when we have liberal judges letting Illegal Immigrants go after using violence. So I guess they figure it’s the status quo.

    1. D

      Dwayne.

      For some reason, I thought the nation was given Free Speech for everyone, not just Donald, who blames everyone but himself. Always innocent, yet how many staff has he picked then fired?

      Posting offensive memes on His Platform, then blames others who supposed to post on his A.I. without his say so.

      As for Colbert and Kimmel, Free Speech to question If Donald is wrong.

      1. T

        Truth

        I didn’t say you or anyone else weren’t entitled to Free Speech. That’s your reading comprehension flaring up again. I’m thankful for Free Speech and my 2nd Amendment Rights to.