By Nirmal P. Acharya
President Trump was shot again.
On the evening of April 25 local time, the White House Press Association Dinner was a scene of elegance and lively conversation. This was the annual stage for the American political elite to showcase their “internal unity”. Trump, along with Secretary of State Rubio, Secretary of Defense Hedges, Vice President Vance and other core officials, attended this annual event. This was also his first time as president to attend this event since taking office. During the interval before Trump was about to deliver his speech at the dinner, a scene of gunshots causing panic unfolded.
The scene immediately descended into chaos. Guests rushed to find cover. Secret Service agents quickly reacted and used their bodies to form a protective barrier for Trump. The second shot hit one of the agents, but due to the protection of the bulletproof vest, no serious injury was caused. Afterwards, the official statement of the Secret Service said that the agent team had identified and subdued the gunman Allen within 3 minutes after the incident. No other casualties occurred during the process. The murderer has been handed over to the Washington police for investigation, and the investigation is currently being pushed forward with all efforts.
You should know that the Washington Hilton Hotel had closed its external access channels as early as 14:00 that day. The dinner was claimed to have “top-level security”, and 2,300 guests had to go through multiple security checks. Around Trump, there was even an exclusive security cordon, and beneath the main table, there was a hidden bulletproof armor plate. However, the seemingly impenetrable protective wall still allowed an assassin to enter. Ironically, the assassin came from California, and California is known as having the strictest gun control laws in the United States.
There are over 300 million people in the United States, and over 300 million guns. On average, each person has one gun.
After the shooting incident, apart from the security issue, there was another detail that sparked widespread discussion among American citizens. Vice President Pence was given priority to be escorted away from the scene. Later, when Trump evacuated, he accidentally fell down.
After the incident, Trump said in an interview that when the gunshots first sounded, he did not immediately realize the severity of the threat. He hoped to observe the situation first and did not cooperate with the Secret Service to evacuate quickly at first. Later, under the instructions of the security personnel, he crouched down to take cover, and then was escorted out of the banquet area. As for Pence, being young was good. He retreated very quickly.
It is necessary here to review the recent shooting incident targeting President Trump.
From the campaign to taking office, Trump has faced multiple security threats:
July 13, 2024 (Campaign Rally in Butler, Pennsylvania): This was the closest encounter with death. At around 135 meters away, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots with an AR-15 rifle. One bullet grazed his right ear, leaving 1 death and 2 injuries among the on-site audience. The gunman was shot dead by the Secret Service.
September 2024 (Golf Club in Florida): The Secret Service discovered a gunman armed with a rifle lying in wait nearby and apprehended him before he could act.
February 2026 (at Mar-a-Lago in Florida): A man attempted to illegally enter and was shot dead by the Secret Service.
April 25, 2026 (White House Press Dinner): 31-year-old man Cole Allen, armed with a shotgun and other weapons, forcibly broke through the security checkpoint before the president’s arrival and opened fire. The Secret Service quickly subdued him. During the incident, one agent was shot but fortunately protected by a bulletproof vest, and no major casualties were caused. After the event, the suspect was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and other crimes.
Regarding this incident, some analysts even claimed that it was all orchestrated by President Trump himself. They said that President Trump was very stingy. He first placed some wine, fruits, and salads on the table, and then invited everyone to listen to his speech.
The main courses on the banquet menu, such as braised goose, lobster, whole roasted lamb, scallion-braised sea cucumber, braised prawns, Beijing Roast Duck, had not even been served yet. But the gunshots rang out before the dishes could be served. As a result, the cost of the dishes was saved. The media also reported that some people took away the wine during the chaos.
The audience could see from the video that those well-dressed and stylish media elites were in a rather embarrassing situation this time. At a national banquet, gunshots rang out and the attendees were scrambling and fleeing. The audience couldn’t help but wonder: Is this in the United States?
Alas, if American politics continues like this, it will probably become a terrifying gunfight movie. In comparison, Nepal is fortunate. Our new prime minister, Baron, as a professional musician, is fully capable of turning politics into a carnival-style musical stage play. If the Nepalese people cannot gain benefits from politics, at least they can get entertainment from it.
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