Trump White House shooting live: Suspect to appear in court today after president denies ‘pedophile’ allegation in manifestonewsline24

The combat sport impresario, a good friend of the president, had this to say about his experience of Saturday night: “It started to get noisy. Tables started getting flipped over, guys running with guns and they were screaming, ‘Get down!’ I didn’t get down. It was f***ing awesome and I literally took every minute of it in.”

Here’s Paul Farrell’s report.

Looking ahead to other events today, King Charles is embarking on his four-day visit to the United States, with his arrival in Washington given the go-ahead Sunday after talks about his security were held in light of the drama at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Here’s our world affairs editor Sam Kiley on his majesty and the sensitivity of the moment.

The mentalist who was hired as the evening’s entertainment and was pictured speaking to the first lady when the shots rang out has given his account of what happened to CNN’s Dana Bash.

A sobbing Erika Kirk – who lost her husband, Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, to gun violence last year – was seen being ushered out of the Washington Hilton in the wake of Saturday night’s shooting.

CNN’s Sara Sidner posted a clip of Kirk hurriedly walking from the ballroom, choking up and saying: “I just want to go home.”

The president has addressed the instant conspiracy theories that have been swirling around the internet concerning Saturday night’s events, with many commentators alleging they were “staged” to invite sympathy for Trump amid sagging poll numbers, ongoing economic concern and the deep unpopularity of his Iran war.

​“I think they’re more sick than they are con people,” the president told Norah O’Donnell on 60 Minutes, referring to the conspiracy theorists.

“But there’s a lot of con in there too.”

Owen Scott takes a closer look.

Eric Garcia has more here on the political tract Allen sent to his family shortly before his attempted assault on the Correspondents’ Dinner, in which he chillingly referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin.”

The president’s latest posts on his social media platform suggest a reversion to business as usual, with him congratulating country singer Lee Greenwood (the man behind the perennial Trump rally anthem “God Bless the U.S.A.”) on the birth of his first grandchild.

“Lee and Kim Greenwood, two of the most spectacular people, had their first grandchild on April 17th. They were with me from the very beginning – Total loyalty, and Lee gave me the greatest walk on song of all time, nothing even close!!! Congratulations to you both!!!”

He also responds “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT” to another user who suggests that his federal immigration troops should be renamed NICE, instead of ICE, to stand for National Immigration and Customs Enforcement “so the media has to say NICE agents all day everyday.”

The president also took the opportunity during his CBS interview to blame the opposition for their rhetoric inspiring political violence, risking exactly the sort of partisan division he was warning against by not holding conservatives equally accountable.

The president angrily took issue with CBS reporter Norah O’Donnell during his 60 Minutes interview last night after she presented him with accusations made in the political tract investigators said was written by Cole Tomas Allen.

“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” O’Donnell read aloud, quoting Allen, causing Trump to bristle.

“I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people,” the president answered. “Horrible people. Yeah, he did write that. I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody… I’m not a pedophile.”

He continued, alluding to accusations associated with long-running the Jeffrey Epstein scandal: “You read that crap from some sick person. I got associated with stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated.

“You should be ashamed of yourself for reading that, because I’m not any of those things. You shouldn’t be reading that on 60 Minutes. You’re a disgrace.”

The president has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and has never been formally accused of a crime relating to the late pedophile.

This is what else Trump had to say in his CBS interview: