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U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not directly linking Iran to the armed attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner but claimed Tehran would likely “take advantage” of such an opportunity if it had one, as he connected the incident to the wider climate surrounding the Iran war.
Speaking in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump said his administration was taking strong action on Iran and preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“I am not tying anything to them, but if they had the opportunity, they would probably take advantage of it,” Trump said.
Trump said his Cabinet was doing “very good things,” adding that those actions were good for the U.S. but not for others, including Iran.
“They will not have a nuclear weapon. They will not blow up the world,” Trump said. “And therefore they are not happy. And when they are not happy, people do violent things.”
Asked why he had faced multiple attacks and attempted attacks, Trump said “effective presidents” and presidents who “get things done” are targeted.
He referred to recent U.S. operations against Iran. Also, he cited the killing of Qassem Soleimani, former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, during his first term, calling it “a big event.”
Trump also said other presidents should have acted earlier on Iran, saying they made a “terrible mistake” by not doing so.
The attack took place during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Trump, first lady Melania Trump, the vice president, Cabinet members, and over 2,500 guests were present.
CBS reported that a gunman stormed the security perimeter at the event and fired shots before Trump was evacuated. The outlet said the dinner was held at the same hotel where former President Ronald Reagan was nearly assassinated by John Hinckley 45 years ago.
Federal investigators are looking into the motive of the alleged gunman, identified as 31-year-old teacher Cole Thomas Allen from Torrance, California.
CBS said Allen emailed what a senior official described as a “manifesto” to his family minutes before the attack. The manifesto said he was targeting members of the Trump administration.
Trump said he did not know whether he was the target but added that “it looked” that way.
He said the attacker appeared to have been radicalized, describing him as a Christian who later became anti-Christian and had gone through major changes.
Trump said Allen’s brother and sister had complained about him and that his family was worried.
“He was probably a pretty sick guy,” Trump said.
Trump said he heard a loud noise during the dinner and initially hoped it was a tray of plates falling in the ballroom.
“I was hoping it was a tray, but it was not,” he said.
He said Melania Trump appeared to realize before him that the sound was more likely a bullet than a tray. Trump said he later watched footage of her reaction and that she looked “very upset.”
Trump said people in the room panicked and that “who would not be scared" in such a situation.
He said he slowed the evacuation because he wanted to see what was happening.
“I wanted to see what was going on,” Trump said, adding that he told agents, “Wait a minute, let me see.”
Trump said he was initially standing and walking out with agents before they told him to get down on the floor.
“When they said, ‘Drop down,’ that meant trouble,” Trump said. “I am the president, and I listened to what they said.”
He said he and the first lady were taken to a holding room after the evacuation. Trump said he tried to have the event continue if possible and wanted to return to the ballroom.
Trump praised the Secret Service and law enforcement response, saying officers acted quickly after the gunman ran through the security area.
He described the attacker’s speed as “incredible” and said he appeared “like a blur” on video. Trump said security officers drew their weapons and neutralized him immediately.
He said the doors and the ballroom were locked down and that officers “really did a great job.”
Trump said he was “not worried” during the incident.
“We live in a crazy world,” he said.
He said he saw strong law enforcement officers entering through the doors and felt safe because “nobody was going to get through them.”
Trump said there was no new threat assessment after the attack and described Allen as a “lone wolf,” while adding that more information could still emerge.
He also said a Secret Service agent who was struck was not injured because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Trump said he spoke to the agent, who did not want to go to the hospital but went because officials asked him to.
Trump reacted angrily when asked about accusations included in the attacker’s manifesto.
“I am not a pedophile,” Trump said. “I am none of the things that were said.”
Trump said he had been linked to matters unrelated to him and claimed he had been “totally exonerated.” He called the attacker “a sick person” and criticized CBS for reading the claims during the interview.
Asked about the attacker’s reported statements accusing the Secret Service of security failures, Trump said the attacker was also “pretty incompetent” because he was caught easily.
Trump said security officials did “a really good job,” adding that they were learning from the incident and making adjustments.
Trump said the internet had contributed to radicalization, saying it had made people “mentally sick,” while also calling it an “extraordinary” tool.
He said the U.S. was leading in artificial intelligence and described the current period as “a different age.”
Trump also accused Democrats of using dangerous rhetoric.
“I think the hate speech of the Democrats is very dangerous,” Trump said.
He said political violence has existed throughout history and referred to assassinations and attacks targeting Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
Trump also rejected conspiracy theories that the attack had been staged or had not happened.
Trump said the attack had created a sense of unity in the room and that he was pleased to see the “relationship, friendship and spirit” after the incident.
He said the situation was less difficult because nobody was killed or seriously injured.
Trump said he believed it was important to call for unity after the attack, adding that the country and the world needed to know that things would be all right.
He also said he did not want the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to be canceled because of “a crazy person.”
Trump said the event should be held again within 30 days with stronger security and a larger perimeter.
“We cannot let something like this be canceled,” Trump said. “I think it is very important that they do it again.”
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