There is a dark symmetry to what happened Saturday night at the Washington Hilton. The hotel that witnessed one of the most shocking moments in American political history, the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in 1981, became a crime scene once more whengunfire broke outduring the White House Correspondents' Dinner attended by President Donald Trump.
Trump was seated at the dais in the ballroom when the commotion erupted. Secret Service agents moved quickly, pulling him from the room. He was unharmed. By 9:45 p.m. he was in the presidential limousine heading back to the White House. By 10:34 p.m. he was standing at a podium briefing reporters.
Washington Hilton, Washington DC.
"It comes with the territory," Trump told the press. "If you want to do a great job, take a look at what's happened to some of our greatest presidents. It doesn't happen to people that don't do anything."
John W. Hinckley Jr. opened fire on the sidewalk outside the hotel, striking Reagan in the rib with a .22-caliber bullet that pierced his lung. He was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where surgeons operated on him for two hours. Three others were hit that day: James Brady, the White House press secretary, who was left partially paralyzed; a Secret Service agent; and a District of Columbia police officer.
Reagan, characteristically, managed to find a quip even in crisis. He reportedly told Nancy Reagan from his hospital bed: "Honey, I forgot to duck."
Hinckley later said he carried out the attack in a deluded attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster. He was acquitted by reason of insanity and spent decades under court supervision before being fully released from restrictions in 2022, after officials concluded he no longer posed a danger to himself or others.
Reagan delivered an address to Congress a month after the shooting. His approval rating went up.
Over the years, the dinner has drawn celebrities including George Clooney and Kim Kardashian, and has been hosted by names like Jimmy Kimmel and Trevor Noah. The lobby bar regularly fills with people hoping to catch a glimpse of Washington's power players during event season.
But the hotel is more than a glamorous backdrop. After the Reagan shooting, it underwent significant security modifications specifically designed to protect a sitting president. A secured garage was constructed to accommodate the presidential limousine, complete with a dedicated elevator and staircase leading directly to a secured suite reserved for the president's use. That suite comes with its own reserved bathroom, which the hotel traditionally stocks with monogrammed towels for the handful of times a year a president passes through.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
