The King’s security in America is being taken ‘very seriously’ in the wake of a gunman storming a Washington dinner where Donald Trump was speaking, ministers said today.
Keir Starmer has spoken to the US President to express his ‘shock’ and ‘relief’ he was not hurt in the disturbing episode.
‘Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,’ the PM posted on X.
‘It is a huge relief that @POTUS, the First Lady and all those attending are safe.’
In interviews this morning, Cabinet minister Darren Jones insisted ‘appropriate’ measures would be in place for the monarch’s State Visit this week.
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was thrown into chaos by the attack last night.
Mr Trump, who was injured in a previous assassination attempt, was swiftly evacuated by secret service agents along with other senior members of the administration. The President said later that the culprit appeared to be a ‘lone wolf whack job’.
One officer, who was shot but protected by his bulletproof vest, was taken to hospital.
The suspect, said to have been carrying a shotgun and handgun, has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
The President and First Lady were seated at the head of the table on stage when the incident occurred
The King is due to arrive in the US in the coming days for his State Visit
In interview this morning, Cabinet minister Darren Jones insisted ‘appropriate’ measures would be in place for the monarch’s State Visit this week
He is understood to have been a guest in the Washington Hilton hotel where the event was being held and faces charges including assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but acting attorney general Todd Blanche said additional charges will be filed.
A Downing Street readout of the PM’s call with Mr Trump this afternoon said he ‘extended his best wishes to the President and First Lady following the shocking scenes at last night’s White House Correspondents Dinner’.
‘He expressed his relief that the President and First Lady were safe and wished a speedy recovery to the officer injured,’ the readout added.
Mr Jones, the Chief Secretary to the PM, told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: ‘These are remarkable scenes. The Prime Minister has, this morning, sent a message to the president of the United States in solidarity for the events that took place.
‘As you would imagine, with the visit of His Majesty the King this week, our teams are working closely to ensure that security arrangements are put appropriately in place.’
Asked if there are any extra concerns for the King’s safety during his upcoming state visit to the US, Mr Jones said: ‘As you would imagine, the Government and the Palace take the security of His Majesty very seriously, and there were already extensive discussions taking place, which will continue over the coming days.’
Mr Trump vowed to reschedule the disrupted event at a late-night press conference following the shooting, which he said had ‘unified’ political opponents and the media.
Keir Starmer has sent a message of ‘solidarity’ to the US President after the disturbing scenes
Trump posted an image of the man who tried to breach security on his social media
He was attending the annual dinner for the first time as president.
Mr Trump said: ‘My impression is he was a lone wolf whack job. These are crazy people.’
The president praised the secret service and said the gunman was not close to breaching the ballroom where he sat on stage at the time of the incident.
He added: ‘I saw a room that was just totally unified. It was, in one way, very beautiful, a very beautiful thing.
‘To see a man charge a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of secret service, and they acted very quickly.’
