Donald Trump described as 'truly fearless' as first-hand details of Secret Service evacuation revealed
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A lone gunman opened fire at an annual gala for White House journalists last night
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Donald Trump has been described as "truly fearless" after fresh details of the Secret Service's evacuation operation were revealed.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was with the US President backstage, issued a short update after suspected shooter Cole Tomas Allen opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel.
Ms Leavitt explained how she had been ushered away from the scene alongside the US President and First Lady Melania Trump.
She said: "What was supposed to be a fun night at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with President Trump delivering jokes and celebrating free speech was hijacked by a depraved crazy person who sought to assassinate the President and kill as many top Trump administration officials as possible.
"I was with President Trump and the First Lady backstage after we were quickly ushered to safety by Secret Service.
"President Trump was truly fearless, but as he said last night, this political violence needs to end.
"Thank you to law enforcement for keeping all of us safe, including the brave agent who took a bullet to the chest and immediately moved to neutralise the shooter. Pray for our country."
Shortly after the shooting, Mr Trump revealed he initially thought that the sound of a gunman charging a security checkpoint was a tray falling.
Mr Trump, who faced two assassination attempts ahead of the 2024 US Presidential Election, said: “I heard a noise, and sort of thought it was a tray.
"I thought it was a tray going down many times. There was a gun and some people really understood that quite quickly.
"Other people didn’t. I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down a little faster.
He added: “He was running full blast, and they got him before he got any further. I was very far away, he wasn’t anywhere close to breaching the doors of the ballroom. My impression is he was a lone wolf wack job.”
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Despite the shooter's motivation remaining unknown, Mr Trump claimed the alleged gunman held "strongly anti-Christian".
"He's got some big problems with the rest of his life", the US President said today.
He added: "If you're a consequential President you're in much more danger than if you're not a consequential President."
Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from California, sent the document to his family around 10 minutes before the shooting.
In a letter reportedly given to police by a relative, the alleged shooter referred to himself as a “friendly federal assassin” and revealed that he intended to target Mr Trump administration officials over their ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
“I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” he wrote.
The 31-year-old added: “Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed.
"I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial.
“I’m not a schoolkid blown up or a child starved or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration.
“Turning the other cheek when *someone else* is oppressed is not Christian behaviour; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.”
Mr Trump also confirmed King Charles III and Queen Camilla's visit to the US will go ahead as planned.
The US President, who is a fan of the Royal Family, said: "He's a great guy, and we look forward to it.
"He's really a fantastic person and a tremendous representative, and he's brave."