The shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner has exposed a serious security vulnerability surrounding President Donald Trump and other senior U.S. officials, a former Defense Department intelligence officer has warned.

And with tensions between Washington and Tehran rising and ceasefire talks stalled, Andrew Badger told Fox News Digital the April 25 breach could further increase Iran’s "motivation" to target Trump and others in the administration.

"This could show that there is a vulnerability in terms of potentially accessing President Trump or senior officials," Badger said before warning of "significant vulnerabilities."

TRUMP PRAISED FOR 'STRENGTH' IN MOMENTS AFTER SHOTS RANG OUT AS EYEWITNESS DESCRIBES 'TERRIBLE' SCENE

"When you're looking at your adversary, and you're seeing weakness, it also fuels motivation," he said before claiming that "Iran has the motive to strike at senior Trump officials, including President Trump."

"Iran, which has a demonstrated history of using criminals and proxy individuals, could certainly look at this as an opportunity."

Chaos broke out at the Washington Hilton Hotel when a suspected gunman, identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California, stormed a security checkpoint and opened fire.

Trump and other administration officials were rushed out of the ballroom as law enforcement responded. Allen is currently in custody and made an initial court appearance on Monday.

AMERICANS MUST HAVE 'HIGHER DEGREE OF VIGILANCE' AMID IRAN TERROR THREAT, HOUSE INTEL CHAIR WARNS

The gathering included Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, journalists and senior administration officials — a concentration of leadership that Badger said presented significant risk.

"The top three of the line of succession were at this single event," Badger noted.

He added that "eight of the nine line-of-succession officials were at this single event," warning of a worst-case scenario: "If this individual would have somehow worn a suicide vest, you could have eliminated all three of those individuals."

HOSPITALS IN SANCTUARY CITIES COULD BE MOST VULNERABLE TO IRAN TERROR ATTACKS, WARNS EXPERT

"Imagine if there were multiple people. Imagine if he was wearing suicide vests. Imagine if he used some type of drone," Badger said, emphasizing the scale of potential exposure at a nonsecure venue.

The incident, he said, unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with Iran, which have escalated amid U.S. and Israeli targeting of Iranian officials and leadership.

Badger pointed to longstanding Iranian hostility tied to the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport ordered by Trump.

TRUMP FACES UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

"There has been a driving animus, a driving motivation in the Iranian regime — which they’ve stated publicly — to get revenge for that killing of Soleimani," said Badger, who served on the front lines of human intelligence operations, including a 2014 deployment to Afghanistan.

After Soleimani was killed, Ayatollah Khamenei warned that those responsible for the attack would face "severe revenge," adding that the death would strengthen and intensify resistance against the United States and Israel.

Badger warned that Iran and other adversaries have increasingly relied on unconventional tactics. "Iran and other state actors such as Russia have increasingly reverted to contracting criminals, or gangsters, to conduct hybrid warfare," he said.

Following the incident, Trump underscored the need for more secure venues, advocating for a dedicated White House ballroom.

"It’s got every single bell and whistle you can possibly have for security and safety... It’s really what you need," Trump said on Fox News’ "The Sunday Briefing."

JOHANNESBURG: A major defeat for Russia’s mercenary Africa Corps, in a battle with jihadist and tribal militia, is being reported in Mali. Deadly attacks by al Qaeda-linked rebels and mostly-Muslim Tuareg tribesmen across cities in the West African country are continuing Monday, also with reports of senior figures in Mali’s military junta being killed or injured.

Analysts say this could be a turning point in Moscow’s influence in West Africa. Russia has been grabbing Mali’s precious minerals, including gold, in return for promising to protect the country against the rebels. Sunday though rebels reported that Russian mercenaries have been forced to retreat from their base in the northern city of Kidal.

"The attacks are a major blow to Russia", Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told the Associated Press. He added  "the (Russian) mercenaries had no intelligence about the attacks and were unable to protect major cities. They have unnecessarily worsened the conflict by not distinguishing between civilians and combatants."

Video of dead soldiers who appear with their features to be Russian, and of Russian military vehicles reportedly leaving Kidal, has been seen by Fox News Digital.

US ALLOWING SOME NIGERIA EMBASSY STAFF TO EVACUATE OVER 'DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION'

The Defense News Nigeria media site reported that Russia’s Africa Corps stated in Kidal "they were heavily outnumbered by a ratio of 6 to 1" adding "the Corps claimed that between 10,000 and 12,000 fighters were involved in yesterday’s attacks. There are 2,000 Russian mercenaries operating in Mali. The Malian government pays Wagner $10 million per month for security," according to the Nigerian publication.

A Russian blog on Telegram Monday, claiming to come from Kidal, stated "the units of the African Corps that were stationed and fought in Kidal left this settlement together with the military personnel of the Malian army. First of all, wounded servicemen and heavy equipment were evacuated. The personnel continues to carry out the assigned combat mission. The situation in the Republic of Mali remains difficult."

A spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, told the Associated Press that the Russian troops, have withdrawn from the city after a "white" agreement was reached. This has not been confirmed by either Mali’s government or Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TRUMP'S APPROACH TO AFRICA LAUDED BY TOP REPUBLICAN AS RECENT AIRSTRIKES SHOW 'OUTSIDE THE BOX' THINKING

Russia's ministry of foreign affairs said on its Telegram account that "two hundred and fifty militants attacked Bamako Senou International Airport and the military base located nearby. The Malian Armed Forces repelled the attack and are currently taking further steps to eliminate the militia that may have been, reportedly, trained by Western security agencies. Russia is deeply concerned about these developments. This terrorist activity poses a direct threat to the stability of friendly Mali and could have the most serious consequences for the entire region." 

Mali’s military junta, which first took power in a coup in 2020, Monday announced that both the chief of the armed forces’ general staff, Gen. Oumar Diarra, and the director of the national security agency, Gen. Modibo Koné, have been wounded in attacks.

The government confirmed earlier that Sadio Camara, said to be the second most important figure in Mali’s military junta, had been killed in the fighting. Camara was Mali’s defense minister, and is widely credited with bringing in Moscow’s mercenary Africa Corps to assist in battling the militia.

The rebels attempting to take over Mali are said to be jihadists from the Nusrat al-Islam (GSIM/JNIM) linked with the tribesmen of the FLA and other groups, including at least one linked with Islamic State. The GSIM’s declared aim is to turn Mali into an al Qaeda-linked Islamic caliphate with strict Sharia law.

"The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Mali," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital Monday, adding: "We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected. We stand with the Malian people and government in the face of this violence. The United States remains committed to supporting efforts to advance peace, stability, and security across Mali and the region."

The U.S. Embassy in Mali warned Sunday on its website that "U.S. citizens should continue to shelter in place, remain alert, follow local news for updates, and avoid areas where security operations may be underway."

On Monday, multiple reports started said that Malian troops and Russian mercenaries have also been forced by rebels to withdraw from the northern Malian city of Tessit. At the time of publication, this had not been confirmed by the Malian government.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Trump administration has reportedly ramped up its punitive measures to compel Iraq to disband Iranian regime-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF) that form part of its government after sustained attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities.

Amid a tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the administration tightened the screws on Iraq by stopping U.S. dollar shipments to Baghdad. The growing disagreements over policy between the U.S. and Iraq could lead to weakening Iran’s presence in the region and advance U.S. war aims against Tehran.

In a statement against Iraq’s government, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States has consistently been clear we will take all measures to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in Iraq, protect U.S. interests against Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq, and make clear our concerns about the Iraqi government’s failure to prevent this terrorism."

US WARNS IRAQ MUST ACT AGAINST IRAN-BACKED MILITIA ATTACKS ON AMERICAN ASSETS

The spokesperson added that "While we acknowledge the efforts of Iraqi Security Forces to respond to terrorist attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups, we continue to emphasize that the Iraqi government’s failure to prevent these attacks while some elements associated with the Iraqi government continue to actively provide political, financial, and operational cover for the militias adversely impacts the U.S.-Iraq relationship. The United States will not tolerate attacks on U.S. interests and expects the Iraqi government to immediately take all measures to dismantle the Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq."

The Wall Street Journal first reported last week about the security and financial penalties imposed on Iraq. According to the report, the U.S. halted security cooperation programs with Iraq’s military and stopped "a cargo-plane delivery of nearly $500 million in U.S. banknotes, the proceeds from Iraqi oil sales from Federal Reserve Bank of New York accounts."  

The newspaper said it was the second blocked delivery of dollars to the Central Bank of Iraq since the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Feb. 28 against Iran. 

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the blocked payments.

An Iraqi official told Fox News Digital that "With regard to relations with the United States, Iraq views them as an important partnership based on shared interests and cooperation. The two sides have fought together in a decisive battle against ISIS, reflecting the depth and significance of this relationship."

In reference to the pro-Iran militias, the Iraqi official said, "As for the issue of armed factions, it is important to note that the Iraqi reality is highly complex, with overlapping political, security and social dimensions. Some of these factions also possess political and popular influence. Accordingly, addressing this issue requires careful and gradual approaches grounded in a deep understanding of the domestic context, in a way that strengthens state authority and ensures that weapons are confined to the hands of the state while maintaining internal stability."

TRUMP THREATENS TO END IRAQ SUPPORT OVER AL-MALIKI COMEBACK BID TIED TO IRAN INFLUENCE

The official added that "External measures that fail to take into account the particularities of this reality may lead to counterproductive outcomes and negatively affect internal balances, which would not serve the stability efforts undertaken by Iraq and its partners, foremost among them Washington."

The PMF is an umbrella organization of militias largely loyal to the Islamic Republic of Iran — the world’s worst state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the State Department. Members of the PMF have launched attacks on U.S. assets in Iraqi Kurdistan and against Iraqi Kurds — a valuable U.S. ally in the Mideast.

A senior Kurdish official told Fox News Digital, "The dollar pause is part of the nuclear option in the Treasury Department, and the Americans have always been reluctant to leverage it. The Iraqis, meanwhile, have been cruel to their partners — Americans and the KRG [Kurdish Regional Government], as this war has shown — and now Washington is drawing a red line."

The Kurdish official said, "They’ve made it clear things will only get worse for Iraq if militias resume attacks against U.S. interests, including in the Kurdistan Region. It’s high time the Americans pulled this lever; for too long, it has allowed Iran to pick a premier and dictate the rules, despite repeated encouragement to veto Iran’s cut-outs in Iraq."

Both Iraqi and Kurdish officials said the government is in flux as the different sides position themselves to select a new Iraqi prime minister.

IRAQI STATE BANK ACCUSED OF PROCESSING PAYMENTS FOR HOUTHI TERRORISTS WHO DISRUPT RED SEA COMMERCE

The Trump administration opposes the return of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki because of his close ties to Iran. 

The Kurdish official stressed the role of the majority Shiite population in Iran: "In the end, though, it’s still the Shia house that chooses the premiership. They have some latitude, but ultimately, they will select a candidate acceptable to both Iran and the United States. That’s the game — and America has always reacted to Iran’s game. This time, however, Washington appears intent on influencing the outcome rather than just observing it."

The official added, "This matters especially because Iraq depends on oil, and its proceeds are deposited in the U.S. Federal Reserve and American banks. How Washington behaves vis-à-vis those deposits influences the process and reconfigures the balance within the Shia house. It matters enormously."

Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy prime minister of Iraq, warned that there is a pressing need for the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudan to swiftly dismantle the PMF because they represent a clear and present danger to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

He told Fox News Digital, "The Iraqi government also provides these groups with state identification cards, vehicles, and official government license plates under the cover of the PMF structure. This allows them to enter Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone at will and threaten the U.S. Embassy or any Iraqi state institution."

To underscore the dangers of the PMF, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday a $10 million bounty on the terrorist leader of the pro-Iranian militia Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA).
 

The U.S. embassy on Monday wrote on X that the pro-Iran militia "Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA) terrorists have launched attacks across Iraq and the region, including the April 8 ambush of U.S. diplomats near the Baghdad International Airport.  HAAA terrorists continue to undermine Iraqi sovereignty while threatening the safety and security of both Iraqi and U.S. civilians.  We will not tolerate attacks on U.S. interests and expect all measures will be taken to dismantle Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups in Iraq."
 

The number of people killed in a bombing in a volatile region in southwest Colombia rose to 20, officials said Sunday.

The attack happened Saturday when an explosive device was detonated on a bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the municipality of Cajibio. So far, 15 women and five men are among the victims, according to Octavio Guzmán, governor of the region of Cauca.

US DESIGNATES COLOMBIA'S CLAN DEL GOLFO AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, CITING NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING

He wrote on X that the attack injured 36 others, three of whom are in intensive care. Guzmán noted that five of the injured are minors who are expected to recover.

Colombia’s Institute of Legal Medicine said that specialists including dentists, anthropologists and forensic doctors are identifying the victims.

AT LEAST 80 PEOPLE KILLED IN NORTHEAST COLOMBIA AS PEACE TALKS FAIL, OFFICIAL SAYS

The bombing is the latest attack in the region, with more than two dozen incidents reported in the past three days in southwestern Colombia. The region is home to illegal armed groups who vie for control of coca leaf cultivation areas and for sea and river access routes to run drug trafficking operations to Central America and Europe.

Gen. Hugo López, commander of Colombia’s armed forces, has described the incident as a "terrorist act." He blamed it on the network of a man known as "Iván Mordisco" — one of Colombia’s most wanted figures — and the Jaime Martínez faction. Both are dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that operate in the region.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the attacks against the civilian population and called on authorities to investigate the incidents and "guarantee justice for the victims."

Guzmán declared three days of mourning on Sunday in memory of the victims.

The Strait of Hormuz crisis is driving nations’ efforts to develop alternative Gulf-to-Europe trade routes, with Iraq’s $24 billion "Development Road" project at the forefront, analyst says.

The route from Iraq’s Grand Faw Port to Turkey and on to Europe, is advancing "with discipline," Middle East Council on Global Affairs analyst Muhanad Seloom told Fox News Digital, calling it a "permanent" and "transformative" wartime shift.

Seloom’s comments came as President Donald Trump warned Tehran against further escalation in the Gulf and signaled the U.S. is prepared to act to keep the strait open.

Iranian forces have laid mines and threatened commercial traffic in the narrow waterway. As of Sunday, the shipping route remains effectively closed.

IRAN IS 'TRYING TO GIVE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY A HEART ATTACK' BY CLOSING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UAE MINISTER SAYS

"Iraq’s Development Road means every container moving through Basra instead of Iranian-controlled waters is a reduction in Tehran’s leverage over Iraq," said Seloom.

"The real scale, independent estimates put the Development Road closer to $24 billion, and the project is now moving with discipline," he said.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated the first 63-kilometer stretch of the Development Road in 2025. Phase 1 is due for completion by 2028.

"What was described by the Iraqi government as a flagship of Iraqi statecraft now has a regional rationale that governments and financiers treat as essential rather than aspirational," Seloom, an assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, explained.

"Sudani seems to be positioning Iraq exactly where he thinks its geography always suggested, as a connecting state between the Gulf, Turkey and Europe," he said.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

But other regional infrastructure, Seloom says, is also being pushed forward in parallel.

Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline pipeline is operating near its 7 million-barrel-per-day capacity, with expansion plans under review.

The UAE’s ADCOP pipeline to Fujairah is also at maximum use, with a second line under discussion, he said. "Turkey’s Zangezur and Middle Corridors bypass Iran via the Caucasus and are four to five years out."

He added: "Six Gulf-backed overland fiber projects are also underway through Syria, Iraq and the Horn of Africa."

Iran reimposed closure measures on the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, reducing traffic to just a handful of vessels per day compared with a pre-war average of roughly 130 to 140.

The restrictions, including on ships, have come under fire in recent days, and interceptions trace back to the start of the war on Feb. 28, when Tehran first moved to block transit following U.S.-Israeli strikes.

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

"Hormuz remains indispensable for energy, but it is no longer treated as a default. That shift is permanent given the war," Seloom said.

For Iraq’s corridor, it is "potentially transformative," Seloom said, with $4 billion per year in projected transit revenue and a repositioning from an oil rentier state to a logistics state.

"Turkey will be the single largest beneficiary. Combined with the Zangezur and Middle Corridors, Ankara becomes the overland bridge between Asia and Europe," he said. "Europe will have an additional overland option on a 2028-plus timeline, but nothing for the current crisis. It marginally reduces structural dependence on the unreliable Suez–Red Sea axis."

Further signs of turmoil are emerging in Iran’s U.S. negotiating team as hardliner Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf looks set to be replaced by a veteran conservative known for rejecting nuclear concessions, according to reports.

Iran International reported April 24 that Saeed Jalili, 60 — who already leads what has been described as a "shadow government" — is expected to succeed Ghalibaf following his sudden departure amid internal disputes.

Jalili also heads Iran’s ultra-hardline faction known as the Stability Front (Paydari), which is known to be a "bastion of ultraconservatism in Iran," according to reports.

Ali Safavi, an official with the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital that Jalili "has evolved from a nuclear negotiator to an influential actor within the regime."

TRUMP'S LATEST HIRES AND FIRES RANKLE IRAN HAWKS AS NEW PRESIDENT SUGGESTS NUCLEAR DEAL

Ghalibaf was reportedly forced to step down after attempting to bring the nuclear issue into talks with Washington, a move that triggered backlash within Iran’s political establishment.

President Donald Trump had called off plans for U.S. envoys to travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on April 25.

The rivalry between Jalili and Ghalibaf is said to span more than a decade and intensified during the 2024 elections, when Jalili refused to step aside, contributing to the victory of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Safavi said, "The increased visibility of latent divisions stems from recurring nationwide uprisings, deep economic crises and the pressures of war, all of which have intensified internal feuding.

"Far from signaling transformation, these developments reflect accelerating erosion and mounting pressure, deepening fractures and leaving the regime ever weaker and more vulnerable," he added.

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Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also seeking a continued leading role in negotiations, highlighting competing centers of influence over Iran’s diplomatic strategy, sources said.

Araghchi is in Islamabad, Pakistan, after returning from a short trip to Muscat, Oman, where he is holding high-level diplomatic talks on the conflict. Reports indicate Araghchi will travel to Moscow.

Jalili’s potential appointment, however, signals a hardening of Iran’s stance, with more emphasis on resistance over compromise.

"Within this regime, there are a number of constants espoused by all factions," Safavi said before highlighting that these were "repression, the export of terrorism and the pursuit of nuclear weapons."

"The factions all ultimately move along a common path: the preservation of power. They differ in methods, not in objectives," Safavi cautioned.

IRANIAN-AMERICANS AND DISSIDENTS RALLIED AGAINST 'MURDEROUS REGIME AGENTS' AS IRAN'S PRESIDENT ADDRESSED UNGA

Jalili, meanwhile, served as Iran’s top nuclear negotiator from 2007 to 2013 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and later ran for president three times. He also served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

A former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Jalili lost his right leg at 21 during the Iran-Iraq War, earning him the title of "Living Martyr".

The Paydari Front, which he is associated with, opposes engagement with the West — particularly the 2015 nuclear deal — and advocates a doctrine of "active resistance."

During Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, Jalili also established a "shadow government" to counter the administration’s policies, especially the nuclear deal.

On April 7, he wrote on X: "Yes — ‘infrastructure’ is on the verge of collapse; the infrastructure of domination and the American order. And after that, a better foundation will be built."

A day earlier, he posted: "‘Shut up’ is not the appropriate response to Trump’s ramblings; let him speak more. Nothing is more effective in laying bare the true nature of the United States than Trump’s outbursts."

"In dealing with this regime," Safavi said, "we must bear in mind that in the 45 years since the mullahs consolidated their rule in 1981 by crushing all peaceful political life, so-called reformists have governed for nearly half that time — presiding over some of its darkest crimes."

"These include the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, the assassination of dissidents abroad, the chain murders of intellectuals inside Iran and the relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons."

World leaders across the globe swiftly condemned political violence and expressed relief that President Donald Trump was unharmed after a chaotic armed attack Saturday night disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Their responses poured in on X after a man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton and charged toward the ballroom, where Trump, lawmakers, journalists and foreign dignitaries were gathered, prompting Secret Service agents to open fire and guests to dive under tables.

The suspect — later identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California — was taken into custody, and Trump was rushed offstage unharmed. Officials said the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was being held, and was taken into custody at the scene. He is expected to appear in court on Monday.

In their reactions, world leaders emphasized both solidarity with the United States and concern over rising political violence.

SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident "unacceptable," writing that "violence has no place in a democracy" while expressing "full support" for Trump.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed that sentiment, warning against political extremism.

"No political hatred can find space in our democracies," she said, adding that democratic nations must not allow "fanaticism to poison the places of free debate and information."

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "relieved" Trump, the first lady and Vice President JD Vance were safe, stressing that violence "must be unequivocally condemned."

Leaders across Europe struck a similar tone. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "shocked by the scenes," calling the attack one that must be "condemned in the strongest possible terms," particularly given it targeted a high-profile democratic event.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was "appalled," adding that democracies must "stand together against political violence."

US JUDGE ORDERS SUSPECT DETAINED FOR THREATENING TO KILL RICHARD GRENELL

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte framed the incident as a broader threat to democratic systems, calling it "an attack on our free and open societies" and reaffirming solidarity with the United States.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as an "attempted assassination," though U.S. authorities have not publicly characterized it as such, saying he and his wife were "shocked" while praising U.S. security forces for their "swift and decisive action." He also wished a speedy recovery to a police officer who was shot in a bullet-resistant vest during the confrontation.

From the Western Hemisphere, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "relieved" all attendees were safe but called the episode a "disturbing event," while Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said simply, "Violence should never be the way."

WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATION

Argentine President Javier Milei issued one of the strongest statements, condemning what he described as a "new assassination attempt," and linking the attack to "violent rhetoric of the left all over the world." His characterization has not been confirmed by U.S. officials.

Leaders from beyond the traditional Western alliance also weighed in. Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, said her government "strongly condemns" the attack and emphasized that "violence is never an option," while European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas highlighted the symbolism of the venue, noting that "an event meant to honour a free press should never become a scene of fear."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised U.S. law enforcement and Secret Service agents for their "swift action" in containing the situation.

The attack marks the latest in a string of security threats against Trump since 2024 and is likely to intensify scrutiny over security protocols at major public events involving the president. It is also likely to renew conversations about rising political violence in the U.S.

Authorities say the suspect acted alone and have not yet identified a motive. FBI and local law enforcement officials descended on the suspect’s Torrance home Saturday night.