Global Intelligence Summary

On the evening of 25 April, a gunman opened fire inside the Washington Hilton hotel. The hotel was hosting the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, attended by most senior leaders in the US government, including US President Donald Trump. The shooter reportedly fired at Secret Service officers in the hotel lobby, injuring one, and was subsequently detained at the scene.

The attacker reportedly sent a “manifesto” to family members and acquaintances. In it, he justified himself by stating that “[he is] no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat [his] hands with his crimes”, and stated that he would target all “administration officials”.

Solace Global Assessment: 

The Correspondents’ Dinner shooting is the third major assassination attempt targeting President Trump. These included the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, and the assassination attempt in West Palm Beach, Florida, which both occurred during the electoral campaign. US security forces have reportedly thwarted several other plots. For example, in February 2026, Secret Service agents shot and killed an individual who attempted to enter Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida (Trump was not at the residence when the incident occurred).

The Washington attacker almost certainly acted alone, evidenced by the relatively unsophisticated attack planning and execution, and the content of his “manifesto”. Furthermore, the attacker seems not to have identified with a clear ideology, but did state that he was abiding by self-imposed “rules of engagement” aimed at minimising the threat to bystanders.

More broadly, the attack can likely be contextualised within an overall growth in the threat of targeted political violence in the US. According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), targeted violence increased by around 30 per cent between 2024 and 2025. Over the same period, the US Capitol Police reported an almost 60 per cent increase in the level of threats against Congress members.

There is a realistic possibility of further targeted assassination attempts and political violence occurring in the US in relation to upcoming major political and sporting events. These include the June-July FIFA World Cup, which the US will host alongside Mexico and Canada, the 4 July celebrations for the 250^th anniversary of the US’ founding, and the November midterm elections.