US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner would not “deter” him from “winning” the war in Iran. Speaking to reporters at the White House shortly after escaping unhurt following the shooting at the annual event in the Hilton Hotel in Washington, Trump said that he believed the incident was not linked to the nearly two-month-old conflict.
“I don’t think so, but you never know,” he told a reporter when asked if the shooting was linked to the Iran war.
“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it; I really don’t think so, based on what we know, but we are going to continue to do a great job,” he said.
Trump said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter, who has now been arrested and has been described as a “lone wolf”.
He said the man, reportedly identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, charged a security checkpoint “armed with multiple weapons”. Trump said that the man fired at a Secret Service agent, who was saved by his bulletproof vest.
“You know, he charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving,” Trump said after the gala dinner was cancelled.
Trump Cancels US Officials’ Pakistan Talks Trip
Donald Trump on Saturday cancelled his envoys’ trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, saying there was no point “sitting around talking about nothing”.
He said he scrapped the visit after being unimpressed with Tehran’s negotiating position, adding that a revised proposal followed within minutes of his decision.
“They gave us a paper that should have been better and — interestingly — immediately, when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” he told reporters.
The White House had said Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff were heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran aimed at moving “towards a deal”, but Trump told Fox News he had scrapped the trip.
“We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing,” he said he had told his team.
Asked whether the cancellation meant a return to hostilities, Trump said, “No, it doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”
He then wrote on Truth Social that there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership.
“Nobody knows who is in charge, including them,” he posted.
“Also, we have all the cards. They have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” Trump said.
His comments came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up a visit to Islamabad after meeting Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir, a key mediator, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The war, in which a ceasefire is in force, began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran has since struck Israel, American bases and Gulf states.
(With agency inputs)