Former US President Barack Obama has responded to the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, condemning the incident and urging Americans to reject political violence as tensions rise following the attack.
In a statement issued after the incident, Obama described the shooting as a moment that demands reflection and national resolve, stressing that violence has no place in democratic society.
He called on citizens “to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy.”
The former president also used the moment to highlight the role of security agencies, describing the incident as “a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that US Secret Service Agents show every day.”
The shooting occurred during the high-profile annual dinner attended by political leaders, journalists and public figures, where an armed assailant reportedly attempted to approach senior government officials, including the president.
Responding to the incident, US President Donald Trump praised law enforcement agencies for their swift response, commending what he described as the “great work done by law enforcement.”
In remarks delivered after the incident, Trump called for unity across political divides, urging Americans to recommit to peaceful engagement despite deep ideological differences.
“In light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our difference peacefully. We have to resolve our differences,” he said.
He pointed to the diversity of the audience present at the event, noting that despite political differences, there was a shared sense of unity in the room.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives, But yet everybody in that room there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together. I watched, I watched and I was very, very impressed by that,” Trump added.
The president emphasised that the dinner, traditionally held to celebrate press freedom and democratic values, had fulfilled its purpose despite the disruption.
“This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech. That was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press. And in a certain way it did because the fact that they just unified. I saw a room that was just totally unified,” he said.
However, in unscripted remarks following his prepared statement, Trump described the incident in more blunt terms, calling it “shocking” and referring to the attacker as a “nutjob.”
He also suggested that such incidents reflect the pressures associated with holding office, stating, “When you are impactful they go after you, when you are not impactful they leave you alone It’s a dangerous profession.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
