Trump says he ‘wasn’t worried’ after shooting, wanted to see what was happening

US President Donald Trump has described the tense moments when he was rushed to safety after a gunman opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington.

Speaking in an interview with 60 Minutes, Trump said he was initially unfazed when shots rang out at the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday night, where the annual event was being held.

“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he said, recalling the incident, which unfolded one floor above the ballroom where he had been seated.

The president acknowledged that his own curiosity may have delayed efforts by Secret Service agents to move him quickly to safety. “I wanted to see what was happening. I wasn’t making it that easy for them,” he said, adding that he initially struggled to grasp the seriousness of the situation.

Trump said agents repeatedly instructed him and First Lady Melania Trump to get down as they were escorted away. “They said, ‘Please go down on the floor.’ So I went down and the first lady went down also,” he recounted.

According to officials, the suspect was apprehended after an exchange with law enforcement officers. Authorities believe the attack may have been politically motivated and could have targeted senior members of the administration.

The interview became heated when the interviewer referenced claims made in a manifesto allegedly linked to the suspect. Trump criticised the decision to raise the material on air, calling the perpetrator “a sick person” and accusing the media of irresponsible reporting.

Despite the incident, Trump urged organisers not to cancel the high-profile dinner, suggesting it should be rescheduled within a month. “I don’t want to see it be cancelled,” he said. “It’s really bad for a crazy person to be able to cancel something like this.”

With PTI inputs