The atmosphere at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night was one of elegant anticipation, with approximately 2,600 plates of prime chateaubriand and Maine lobster ready to be served. However, the event took an unexpected turn when a gunman breached a Secret Service checkpoint, plunging the evening into disarray.
As the attendees, including staff from the Daily Mail, were enjoying their salad course—composed of spring peas, burrata cheese, toasted pistachios, and aged balsamic vinaigrette—a sudden burst of gunfire was heard echoing through the Washington Hilton’s basement-level ballroom.
Panic ensued as guests sought cover beneath tables, while President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and members of the Cabinet were swiftly escorted to a secure location.
Despite President Trump’s desire to proceed with the dinner, the event was halted.
White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang emerged from sheltering in place to address the crowd of attendees still gathered in the ballroom.
“He wanted to continue, despite the news, but has to follow security protocol,” Jiang announced, also informing everyone of a late-night briefing scheduled back at the White House.
That meant all those entrees – and a ‘Grand Opera Cake’ dessert – went unserved.
So what happened to all the leftovers?
President Donald Trump (center), First Lady Melania Trump (center left) and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (second from left) were being entertained by Oz Pearlman when shots were heard outside the Washington Hilton ballroom Saturday night
Only the salad course – featuring spring peas, burrata cheese, toasted pistachios, and an aged balsamic vinaigrette – had been served when a gunman caused chaos at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton
A spokesperson for the Hilton told the Daily Mail that ‘the hotel regularly donates unused food from events to support local organizations and their work in the community.’
‘Food from this weekend is being donated to our local community partners, and remaining produce items were composted and will be sent to farms for agricultural use,’ the spokesperson said.
Jiang later revealed on Monday that the steak and lobster had been freeze-dried for a longer shelf life and were going to two shelters for abused women and children.
Washingtonian magazine first reported what happened to the surf and turf.
Some of the leftover wine ended up in journalists’ hands, with one video of a bottle heist going particularly viral.
The cost of a dinner ticket this year was $480 per seat or $4,800 for a table of 10, and can only be purchased by members of the White House Correspondents’ Association, a nonprofit that helps journalists covering the White House do their jobs.
The Association also partners with universities to provide scholarships to aspiring journalists who are in attendance at the black-tie dinner.
The President is invited each year.
A menu for Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Only the salad course had been served when gunfire was heard outside the ballroom, derailing the annual media dinner
Armed agents moved toward the stage as journalists and other guests hid under tables as a gunman tried to break through the Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night – with only the salad course being served
A guest is seen carrying out bottles of wine from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunfire canceled the annual affair and the President, First Lady, Vice President and Cabinet members had to be evacuated
Attendees depart the Washington Hilton Saturday night in the aftermath of the shooting, leaving 2,600 plates of prime chateaubriand and Maine lobster untouched. A spokesperson for the Hilton said the food was being donated to charity
Washington Hilton staff can be seen cleaning up after a shooting incident emptied the hotel’s ballroom where a menu of surf and turf was supposed to be served
Trump snubbed the dinner during his first term, which was canceled during his final year in office due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His appearance at this year’s dinner marked the first time he attended as commander-in-chief.
Back at the White House, Trump asked the WHCA for the dinner to be rescheduled.
‘We’ll do it again in the next 30 days. And we’ll make it bigger and better and even nicer,’ Trump said from the briefing room podium.
He also pushed that this is why his White House ballroom – currently in legal limbo – needed to be constructed.
The WHCD would likely never be held there, since it’s a gala organized by the press, not the President.
