President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted from his press conference on Monday less than five minutes after it began and returned to say law enforcement shot an armed suspect outside the White House.
‘There was a shooting outside of the White House and it seems to be very well under control,’ President Trump said after he returned to briefing room a few minutes after his exit.
He thanked his security detail for their quick action.
‘I’d like to thank the Secret Service for doing their always quick and very effective work,’ he noted.
He said he didn’t know the condition of the person who was shot and taken to the hospital.
‘There was an actual shooting and somebody has been taken to the hospital. I don’t know the condition of the person. Seems that the person was shot by the Secret Service, so we will see what happens,’ he said.
Shorty after he began speaking to the press, a Secret Service agent came into the press briefing room to whisper in President Donald Trump’s ear
Law enforcement locked down the White House
The agent escorted President Trump from the briefing room
President Trump said he was escorted out because shots were fired at the White House
President Trump said it was his understanding the suspect was armed but didn’t think it was necessarily about him.
‘It might not have had anything to do with me,’ he said.
He said the agents took him to the Oval Office, which is just down the hall from the press briefing room.
The situation made for a dramatic start to President Trump’s Monday press briefing. Less than five minutes after he began speaking, a Secret Service agent escorted him from the room. No explanation was given from the dramatic exit, leaving reporters in the room to scramble to the briefing room windows only to see law enforcement agents outside.
The White House was declared on lock down, which is standard procedure during a security breach.
It’s unclear where the suspect was shot. Video on social media showed a person on the ground with law enforcement surrounding the person at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, at the corner where the Old Executive Office building is located. That building is next to the White House.
The president said he was surprised by what happened but was not concerned for his personal safety.
‘I was surprised,’ he said. ‘It’s pretty unusual but very, very professional people. They do a fantastic job, as you know.’
‘The world has been a dangerous place. Very dangerous place and it will continue, I guess, for a period of time. I feel very safe with Secret Service, they are fantastic people. They are the best of the best and they are highly trained,’ he added.
Video on social media showed a person down at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
Police officers stand guard at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, near the White House
Secret Service agents stand guard outside the press briefing room door
He said he never considered canceling his press briefing.
‘I didn’t even consider not coming back,’ Trump said. ‘I asked if I was able to come back, they said to wait a little while.’
And, with that, he somewhat impatiently returned to what he was saying before he was pulled from the room, talking about the rise in the stock market.
President Trump had barely begun his press briefing when a Secret Service agent stepped into the press briefing room and whispered into the president’s ear. President Trump left the room with him.
Upon his return after an agent escorted him out, President Trump said he never considered not returning to finish his press briefing
A U.S. Secret Service police officer stands on the roof of the the White House
A United States Secret Service officer stands outside the White House Briefing Room
President Trump picked up his briefing where he left off, talking about the stock market
A uniformed Secret Service agent outside the White House press briefing room
Secret Service agents screen all reporters and visitors before they enter the White House complex. Agents lock down the briefing room before the president enters with agents standing at all its entry points.
Police could be seen outside the press briefing area, which sits in the West Wing of the White House.