Former President Barack Obama on Sunday urged Americans to reject the idea that violence has any place in democracy, while expressing gratitude to Secret Service agents for their response to the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Incident at Washington Hilton
A man rushed into an area of the Washington Hilton near the dinner on Saturday and opened fire. A Secret Service agent was struck in his bulletproof vest and is expected to recover. Several officers converged on the ballroom to protect President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet members, and media attendees.
Obama's Statement
“It’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy,” Obama wrote. “It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that U.S. Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them – and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay.”
In a social media post, Obama stated: “Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy. It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice…”
Reactions and Context
Some on the right criticized Obama for noting that no details were available about the shooting. Shortly after the incident, reports emerged about messages the shooter had allegedly written expressing animus toward the Trump administration and calling himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin.”
Obama struck a similar tone after a shooter grazed Trump’s ear in an assassination attempt in 2024 at a campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” Obama wrote then. “Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
Barack Obama condemned the violence that erupted at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner that President Donald Trump attended.
