‘I shrieked!’ US journalist reacts to ‘shocking’ attack on ‘free speech’ after Washington dinner shooting

Despite attending for the past five years, Ms Powell was not present for the fateful 2026 gathering where a “would-be assassin” broke into the Washington Hilton hotel.

“I’m going to admit, from my sofa, I shrieked at the scenes that I was seeing in this very familiar ballroom,” she told GB News.

The veteran reporter said she was appalled to see the attack on the “ball that is meant to celebrate the First Amendment, which is, of course, freedom of speech in the United States".

“It was just a shocking night,” Ms Powell despaired.

“I'm just glad I immediately texted a number of my friends, and they were all fine.”

Speaking about what the incident could represent more broadly, she said: “I would say that this is a very confused and hazy period.”

“This is normally supposed to be a very hungover morning in Washington, but I think the word of the day today is chaos and also confusion."

The journalist asked: “How did somebody get so close to this storied event?

“How did the security permit this person even to get to the mezzanine that leads down to the basement where this event is held?

“This event has been held for 60 years. So this person had adequate time to kind of study and plan.

Ms Powell added: “How did this lapse kind of occur?

“That's a huge concern to everybody in Washington."

Attending the event was GB News's Bev Turner, who shared her own terrifying account of events.

During the event, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a teacher from California, allegedly breached a security checkpoint before attempting to reach the ballroom where the president and other senior officials were gathered.

Armed officers moved quickly to subdue the suspect, wrestling him to the ground and placing him in handcuffs moments after he penetrated the security perimeter.

The alleged attempted shooter is believed to have been staying at the hotel as a guest, and was seen in surveillance footage sprinting towards the ballroom doors after bypassing screening.

Police recovered a cache of weapons, including a shotgun, a handgun and several knives, according to the president. President Trump later released an image showing the suspect lying shirtless and face down on the floor after being detained.

US Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro confirmed the suspect has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, as well as assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.