TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump criticized a journalist who read excerpts of an alleged statement written by the suspect in a security scare on Saturday night during a media dinner, while angrily asserting that he is not a rapist or pedophile as the attacker’s statement suggests.In an interview with Norah O’Donnell, a correspondent for CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump became enraged when confronted with passages of the alleged attacker’s writings that accused him of serious crimes. The president interrupted her, calling it a “disgrace” and denouncing the decision to air such allegations, even in the context of reporting the suspect’s motives.
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“I am not a rapist. I did not rape anyone,” Trump said, strongly rejecting the accusations contained in the statement, which investigators say was distributed shortly before the attack.
The conversation quickly developed into a broader attack on the media, with Trump accusing journalists of amplifying the words “sick person” and seeking to discredit him on national television.The interview, which aired less than 24 hours after the dramatic security incident in Washington, provided the first extended glimpse into Trump’s account of the incident. He insisted that he was “not concerned” as gunshots rang out near the conference venue, portraying the presidency as inherently dangerous and indicating that he had become accustomed to such threats.
The shooting occurred Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton, where dozens of journalists, politicians and celebrities had gathered for the annual World Health Assembly dinner — an event often described as Washington’s most visible intersection between media and power.According to law enforcement officials, the 31-year-old suspect, identified as Cole Thomas Allen, attempted to storm the security perimeter armed with multiple weapons, including a rifle and a handgun, before being intercepted by Secret Service agents.
One officer was injured, but no deaths were reported, and Trump and other senior officials — including Vice President J.D. Vance — were quickly evacuated.Investigators say the suspect distributed a rambling manifesto expressing anger at the federal government and outlining a plan to target high-ranking officials. The document became a focal point of political disagreement, especially after Trump’s explosive reaction to its contents during the 60 Minutes interview.While Trump praised the Secret Service’s response as “courageous and skillful,” he also made an unusual admission amid concerns about delays in his evacuation when the vice president was transported at least 20 seconds ahead of him: The president said he may have delayed his evacuation by hesitating to follow agents’ instructions in the chaotic moments after gunfire erupted.This admission added to the growing controversy over security arrangements at the high-level gathering.
Critics, including former law enforcement officials, questioned how a heavily armed person could get so close to an event attended by the president and much of American leadership.Reports that have emerged over the past 24 hours point to potential vulnerabilities stemming from the location itself. The Washington Hilton, an operating hotel near the White House with multiple public access points, was only partially secured for the event.
The suspect himself noted noticeable security vulnerabilities in his writings, which heightened concerns.The Secret Service has defended its performance, stressing that agents were able to neutralize the threat before it escalated into an attack that left a large number of casualties. But dissenting voices say the focus should not just be on response, but on prevention — raising the possibility of procedural changes in future events involving dense gatherings of senior officials.Politically, this episode is already reverberating throughout Washington. Trump framed the attack as part of a broader pattern of hostility, fueled, in his view, by political opponents — Democrats cooperating with the liberal media. He described the suspect as a “lone wolf” but linked the incident to what he called “dangerous” narratives about his presidency.Meanwhile, media commentators seized on Trump’s on-air outburst as further evidence of an increasingly adversarial relationship between the White House and the press.
His decision to attack O’Donnell personally — particularly in response to a question based on reports about the suspect — has drawn criticism from those who say he risks legitimizing hostility toward journalists.Public reaction appears to be deeply polarized. Supporters praised Trump’s forceful rebuttal of what they saw as defamatory insinuations, while critics described the exchange as emblematic of a president unwilling to grapple with uncomfortable truths. Despite the disruption, Trump noted that he did not want to disrupt the WHCA dinner tradition, and urged organizers to reschedule the event if necessary. He said that its cancellation would represent a symbolic victory for political violence.
