WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump blamed Democrats for the atmosphere surrounding a shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday and pressed Congress to authorize a secure ballroom at the White House for his events. Multiple shots were fired inside the venue on Saturday night, and a man was able to bring weapons into a building hosting the president and top government officials.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were escorted out by security during the dinner. Scalise suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting at a baseball practice with Republican teammates in 2017.

On Saturday night, Trump called for unity. In a televised interview on Sunday evening, he blamed Democrats for creating an atmosphere that encouraged the shooting. Trump posted on social media on Sunday that Saturday's incident was exactly the reason he wants the ballroom.

Several Republicans in Congress promised to introduce legislation explicitly authorizing the ballroom. "The ballroom will be a solution for this. It'll be a safe environment to do events like that." Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said.

Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the proposed ballroom structure would ensure the president's safety and security. "Your lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family and his staff at grave risk," Shumate said.

The shooting was the third time Trump has been directly targeted. At a 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, an assailant opened fire on Trump, grazing his ear, before being killed by a Secret Service sniper. A second attempt occurred in 2024 at his Palm Beach golf resort. In a separate incident, the Secret Service killed an armed man trying to enter Trump's Mar-a-Lago club while the president was not in Florida.

According to a senior administration official, the White House chief of staff is convening with Secret Service officials to discuss protocol and practices for major events involving the president, including U.S. 250th centennial celebrations this summer.

After the Butler shooting at a fairground near Pittsburgh, Trump drastically curtailed his outdoor rallies. Since becoming president, he has preferred appearances at secure military bases and speeches and roundtables in smaller venues. Larger public appearances have moved to indoor arenas, where it is easier for the Secret Service to screen attendees.