A growing number of high-profile White House Correspondents’ Dinner attendees are now exposing that they experienced embarrassingly relaxed security at the event.

Guests, including Kari Lake, have noted that basic identification, ticket inspection, and screening measures were skipped or minimized at an event attended by the President, his top officials, and hundreds of media figures.

I can’t believe how lax the security was at the White House correspondents dinner tonight. Upon entering nobody asked to visibly INSPECT my ticket nor asked for my photo identification. All one had to do was flash what appeared to be a ticket and they were fine with that. When… pic.twitter.com/w79Z3MnSjK

— Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 26, 2026

In a post shortly after the shooting, Lake wrote:

I can’t believe how lax the security was at the White House correspondents dinner tonight. Upon entering nobody asked to visibly INSPECT my ticket nor asked for my photo identification. All one had to do was flash what appeared to be a ticket and they were fine with that.

When you consider you are entering a roomful of fake news media —90% of whom hate the President you would think they would have better security. This is what happened when what sounded like gunfire erupted.

On the way out, I called-out a bunch of the disgusting Media who have been pushing hatred toward President Trump for years. They are a big part of the discord in this country.

Lake included video from inside the ballroom showing guests ducking for cover as security rushed in, along with photos from the chaotic scene.

Her account matches what other attendees reported: minimal checks, no visible ID verification, and a “flash your ticket and walk” system.

Conservative influencer and attendee Mads Campbell went even further in a now-viral thread that has been viewed over 1 million times.

Campbell wrote that she and her best friend left early because “something felt off” from the moment they arrived.

my best friend and i went to the WHCD, and we ended up leaving early because something felt off

it started the second we got there. every event we’ve ever been to, especially at this level, there are layers of security. bags checked, IDs checked, actual process

this time,…

— mads campbell (@martyrdison) April 26, 2026

The post read in full:

my best friend and i went to the WHCD, and we ended up leaving early because something felt off

it started the second we got there. every event we’ve ever been to, especially at this level, there are layers of security. bags checked, IDs checked, actual process

this time, nothing. we were just asked if we had tickets, said yes, and got waved through

no bag check. no real screening. no line. just thousands of people packed together, being pushed through the doors as fast as possible

it felt wrong immediately. like, viscerally wrong. my bestfriend literally turns to me and says “i think something is going to happen”

and then it did

this cannot happen. not here, not at something like this

praying for everyone, but there needs to be accountability because this should never happen again

Another person posted a sign with other events that were taking place in the same building on Saturday night, noting, “These were the events being hosted in same building as WHCD. Low security, people being shoved inside”

These were the events being hosted in same building as WHCD. Low security, people being shoved inside pic.twitter.com/kdVmx17QYP

— Raq (@raqisright) April 26, 2026

She also wrote that there were “no bag checks, no metal detectors, thousands of people and simply not enough security.”

The biggest red flag walking into the WHCD was the fact that I was allowed to keep my vape

Usually, any event where there is Secret Service (Trump rallies, RNC) they confiscate vapes etc

No bag checks, no metal detectors, thousands of people and simply not enough security.

— Raq (@raqisright) April 26, 2026

Bethany Miller, editor of The Conservateur, who attended pre-dinner receptions at the Hilton, wrote, “All confirmed. I was at the Washington Hilton for WHCD receptions and never was screened or went through any type of security. Just showed door checkers my emailed ticket that I could’ve easily forwarded to others. The dinner was the only point where mags were and tickets were checked.”

All confirmed. I was at the Washington Hilton for WHCD receptions and never was screened or went through any type of security. Just showed door checkers my emailed ticket that I could’ve easily forwarded to others. The dinner was the only point where mags were and tickets were… https://t.co/gWuEfi1h8R

— Bethany Miller (@bethanyymmiller) April 26, 2026

Former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and others noted bare-bones detectors with minimal scanning.

Pai wrote, “As I walked into the ballroom with a friend this evening, I mentioned how surprised I was at the lax security. I was admitted to the hotel’s circular driveway by showing my WHCD ticket, came into the hotel, showed my ticket again to go down an escalator, did so yet again for a second escalator, and then walked through a bare-bones metal detector where devices, wallets, etc. were placed on a side table—and not scanned. Then straight into the ballroom. Didn’t seem optimal, to say the least.”

As I walked into the ballroom with a friend this evening, I mentioned how surprised I was at the lax security. I was admitted to the hotel’s circular driveway by showing my WHCD ticket, came into the hotel, showed my ticket again to go down an escalator, did so yet again for a… https://t.co/WoB9RKb919

— Ajit Pai (@AjitPai) April 26, 2026

This comes after two prior assassination attempts on President Donald Trump.

Yet at the so-called “Nerd Prom,” an event featuring the President, Vice President, Cabinet, and the media elite who have relentlessly demonized him, basic protective layers were reportedly treated as optional.

The Secret Service stopped the immediate threat, but the pre-event failures now being exposed demand full transparency.

The scene from the red carpet at the #WHCD moments after multiple shots fired on the other side of the doors to the ballroom. pic.twitter.com/oDpopfwxSg

— Kevin Walling (@KevinPWalling) April 26, 2026

Who signed off on these lax protocols? Why were standard ID, ticket, and bag checks seemingly deprioritized? How did this happen in a building with the most high-profile targets in America present?

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has announced that the suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, will appear in federal court Monday for arraignment, and he is already facing serious felony charges with “many” more expected.

Pirro confirmed the suspect has been charged with at least two counts so far, using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

“This individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro said.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Allen allegedly checked into the Washington Hilton as a registered hotel guest, assembled a long weapon in an unsecured back area, and opened fire near the security magnetometers during the high-profile event attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and many other top administration officials.

One Secret Service agent was struck point-blank by a bullet, but survived thanks to his bulletproof vest.

No motive has been revealed at this time.

The Gateway Pundit will continue following this developing story.

The post Kari Lake, Ajit Pai, and Other Attendees Expose Shockingly Relaxed Security at White House Correspondents’ Dinner: ‘No Bag Check. No Real Screening. Just Waved Through.’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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A major development has emerged in the investigation into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, and the implications are serious. 

According to two sources cited by CBS News, suspect Cole Tomas Allen allegedly told law enforcement after his arrest that he intended to shoot Trump administration officials.

If that statement is confirmed in court, the entire nature of the case changes. This is no longer just about a shooting attempt in a crowded venue. It becomes a case centered on targeted political violence against federal officials, which carries far more severe legal consequences under federal law.

Intent is one of the most critical factors in any criminal case, especially at the federal level. 

An admission like this could open the door to charges well beyond the preliminary firearms and assault counts already announced by U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro. 

Prosecutors now have a potential pathway to pursue statutes specifically designed to protect government officials and the federal government’s functioning.

One of the most relevant statutes in this situation is 18 U.S.C. § 115, which criminalizes threats against federal officials in connection with their official duties. This law applies broadly, covering members of Congress, federal judges, law enforcement personnel, and executive branch officials, including cabinet members. 

The penalties are significant, with up to 10 years in prison for threats alone, and substantially more if an attempt or actual act of violence is involved. 

The reasoning behind the enhanced penalties is straightforward: a threat against a government official is treated not just as a threat to a person, but as an attack on the operation of government.

That distinction matters. Federal prosecutors consistently treat cases involving government officials differently because of the broader implications. 

These cases are not limited to individual harm; they are viewed as potential disruptions to government stability and public order.

The setting of the incident could also play a major role. If investigators determine that Allen specifically chose the White House Correspondents’ Dinner because of the expected presence of administration officials, that could support arguments for premeditation. 

Planning, target selection, and location are all factors that influence how charges are structured and how aggressively they are pursued.

There is also a more serious possibility. If evidence were to show that the suspect intended to target the President specifically, the case could escalate further under additional federal statutes that deal with threats against the President. 

Those laws are among the most strictly enforced and carry some of the harshest penalties in the federal system.

At this stage, the case remains under investigation, and authorities have not publicly confirmed every detail. Statements made to law enforcement must still be corroborated and evaluated alongside other evidence. 

However, an admission of intent—especially one involving federal officials—is one of the most powerful pieces of evidence prosecutors can have.

If the reported admission holds, this case will likely move forward not simply as a violent incident but as an alleged attempt at targeted political violence against government officials. 

That shift alone could dramatically increase both the severity of the charges and the long-term consequences for the suspect.

The post WHCD Shooting Suspect Told Law Enforcement He Targeted Trump Officials, CBS News Sources Say appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Does everyone remember S.E. Cupp? She used to be a conservative commentator on FOX News years ago, but at some point she came down with an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and went to work for CNN.

Last night, just hours before the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Cupp made some comments that have not aged well. Like, at all.

With her typical overconfidence and smug sense of moral superiority, Cupp remarked that Trump was being allowed to speak at the WHCD despite the fact that he “wants us [journalists] dead.”

Transcript via Curtis Houck:

“[The @WHCA] made it real easy for him to attend. And I, you know, glad to see everyone’s in great spirits. And this is a party. I’m real bummed. Real bummed about tonight. because here’s what’s happening tonight. Journalism is throwing a party. Journalism is celebrating journalism at this party. Journalism, for some reason, invited Brendan Carr, FCC chair, who is threatening to revoke the licenses of broadcast networks. Pete Hegseth, who removed journalists from the Pentagon, and Donald Trump, who attacks us on the regular.

Now, they’re giving Donald Trump a speaking position to roast us to our faces for an hour. And he doesn’t have to stay for the part where we celebrate journalism and give out awards to journalists and talk about the importance of free speech. And here’s the kicker: we broadcast it on national TV. He could not have planned this scenario better. And guess what? He didn’t. We did. Journalism planned this scenario for Donald Trump. So, if I’m Donald Trump, of course, I come under these conditions.

And you just heard Brian Stelter say that the correspondents association was trying to sort of mend some fences with a guy who wants us dead, figuratively, figuratively. He wants journalism dead. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I don’t think this is a great night for journalism. It’s a night that’s meant to be celebrating it, but I think it’s a real bummer.”

Watch the clip below:

CNN’s SE Cupp, chronically miserable and stricken with TDS, on the #WHCD, says “Trump wants us dead, figuratively”…

“[The @WHCA] made it real easy for him to attend. And I, you know, glad to see everyone’s in great spirits. And this is a party. I’m real bummed. Real bummed… pic.twitter.com/nxlrJnJQlb

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 26, 2026

It’s really sad to see what Cupp has become. Bitter, insufferable, and so often, completely wrong.

The post This Clip of CNN’s S.E. Cupp Just Hours Before the WHCD Shooting Last Night Has Aged Like Fine Milk (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has announced that the suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, will appear in federal court Monday for arraignment, and he is already facing serious felony charges with “many” more expected.

Pirro confirmed the suspect has been charged with at least two counts so far, using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

“This individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro said.

Pirro made it clear that prosecutors are not done, stating that additional charges are coming as the investigation continues.

“I, for the first time, was in a situation where there were shots fired, shots heard, and a whole room went silent,” Pirro said. “When I lifted my head and when I looked up, every law enforcement officer was out there as we all had our heads down. All of them tonight acted so quickly that they prevented what could have been a horrific event where we were all sitting there in one room.”

WATCH:

WHCD shooting suspect faces federal charges — US attorney

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting is being charged with two counts.

“Using a firearm during a crime of violence” and “assault on a federal officer using a… https://t.co/qVhyL0adbH pic.twitter.com/J0TaW4Q0na

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) April 26, 2026

JUST IN: Jeanine Pirro just announced the charges against the WHCA shooter:

• Two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence

• Assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon

Pirro says more charges are coming. Arraignment is set for Monday. pic.twitter.com/dacoy43ZsA

— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) April 26, 2026

Pirro also posted a video to X from the event.

WATCH:

Update from the Washington Hilton pic.twitter.com/4vx3A1iWmw

— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) April 26, 2026

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Allen allegedly checked into the Washington Hilton as a registered hotel guest, assembled a long weapon in an unsecured back area, and opened fire near the security magnetometers during the high-profile event attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and many other top administration officials.

One Secret Service agent was struck point-blank by a bullet, but survived thanks to his bulletproof vest.

Over 250 Journalists Sign Letter Demanding ‘Forceful’ Protest Against Trump at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

President Trump confirmed in his late Saturday night press conference that he personally spoke to the wounded agent and "he’s in great shape."

The suspect, a Caltech graduate with a master’s in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, had been working as a teacher and was named “Teacher of the Month” in December 2024.

No motive has been revealed at this time.

The post U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro: WHCD Shooter Facing ‘Many’ Felony Charges and ‘More Are Coming,’ Will Be Arraigned Monday (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.