Trump Roared Like Caged Lion After White House Shooting Attempt

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dropped new details about how President Donald Trump reacted behind closed doors after shots rang out at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April. She shared these insights during a fresh episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity." According to her, the president acted like a caged animal that day. He was determined to head right back into the ballroom even though he had just barely escaped an alleged assassination attempt.

"He was like a caged lion backstage, like just roaring to get out, like, 'We gotta go back out there,' " Leavitt told Sean Hannity. "And I'm sitting there like, 'I don't know if I want to go back out there.'"

This behavior came minutes after the WHCA Dinner started at the Washington Hilton. A gunman, later identified as Cole Allen of Torrance, Calif., allegedly rushed into the hotel while armed with weapons. Secret Service agents quickly moved Trump and Vice President JD Vance away from the ballroom for safety. Agents caught Allen fast. His manifesto listed targets among Trump administration officials but excluded FBI Director Kash Patel. Guests scrambled under tables as the gala meant to honor journalists turned chaotic.

Leavitt noted that the president pressed hard on his security team about returning immediately. "[Trump] really was asking hard questions of his detail, like, 'Why can't I go? I will wait all night. I don't care if it's 3 in the morning, get it started,' " she explained. Officials even began planning to restart the dinner while Leavitt described Trump's impatience to address the public right away.

Leavitt also noted that Trump wanted to speak and felt the briefing room was the best spot for it. And so they did hold a press conference later that night with top administration members present. They recounted exactly how the shooting happened. Following this incident, the president pushed again for building a ballroom at the White House. He wants such a space to host safe and secure official events. Trump showed up to the rescheduled WHCA Dinner in July when they finally held it there.

The full interview from Leavitt on the latest "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" drops Tuesday on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.