Albanese, Marles Condemn WH Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

Australian leaders have strongly condemned a shooting at a high-profile event in Washington, where U.S President Donald Trump and senior officials were in attendance.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was relieved that no attendees were harmed.

“I am pleased to hear the President and the First Lady, along with all attendees at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, are safe. We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their swift action,” he said on social media on April 27.

I am pleased to hear the President and the First Lady, along with all attendees at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, are safe.

We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their swift action.

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 26, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the incident underscored the dangers of political violence.

“So clearly we condemn that, but we’re also very grateful that everyone is safe,” he told ABC Radio.

The shooting occurred at the Washington Hilton just before Trump was due to address the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The president and his wife were evacuated after gunfire erupted.

The shooting suspect, identified as Cole Allen, allegedly attempted to breach the security perimeter and was seen on surveillance footage running past Secret Service agents near the venue before being blocked.

Senior figures, including Vice President JD Vance and FBI Director Kash Patel, were inside at the time. Journalists across the country, including The Epoch Times reporters, were also present in the Ballroom.

Neither Donald Trump nor any administration officials were harmed in the incident, while a Secret Service agent who was shot at close range survived due to protective gear.

Elevated Threats Against Politicians

The incident has renewed focus on security threats against politicians, including in Australia.

Earlier this year, Albanese was evacuated from his Canberra residence following bomb threat made in Chinese against him and other Australian high-ranking officials.

The threat emerged just days before scheduled performances by the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance and music company long targeted by Beijing.

Local Shen Yun presenters received emails demanding the cancellation of the performance, with one message falsely claiming that explosives had been placed around the prime minister’s residence and would be detonated if Shen Yun’s shows went ahead.

During the incident, the prime minister was taken to another location for several hours while law enforcement conducted a search at his residence in. The Australian Federal Police later concluded that there was “no current threat to community or public safety.”

In the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment (pdf), ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the risk of politically motivated violence in Australia was “already flashing red” and would likely remain elevated until 2030.