Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump and conveyed his support following an incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington on Saturday during which a gunman charged the security barrier and attempted to storm the ballroom where Trump and his top officials were seated for dinner, the Turkish presidency said on Sunday.
According to a statement from the Turkish Communications Directorate, Erdoğan described the incident as a “heinous act against democracy and freedom of the press” and expressed hope for the swift recovery for a security officer who was injured.
Cumhurbaşkanımız Sayın Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri Başkanı Donald Trump ile bir telefon görüşmesi gerçekleştirdi.
Cumhurbaşkanımız görüşmede ABD Başkanı Trump’a, Vaşington’da Beyaz Saray Muhabirleri yemeğinde meydana gelen saldırı girişimi nedeniyle geçmiş…
— T.C. İletişim Başkanlığı (@iletisim) April 26, 2026
Gunfire was heard when the gunman shot a security officer while trying to enter the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday night, prompting US Secret Service agents to evacuate Trump and other senior officials from the event. One police officer was struck but protected by a bulletproof vest and is expected to recover.
US media identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who was taken into custody after opening fire and is expected to appear in court on Monday. Authorities said the incident is under investigation by the FBI and a terrorism task force, with preliminary findings suggesting the attacker may have been targeting senior administration officials.
Trump said in an interview after the incident that he “wasn’t worried” as he was rushed to safety, adding, “We live in a crazy world.”
The White House later said the president and his cabinet members had survived what it described as an assassination attempt, while officials continue to investigate the suspect’s motive.
Erdoğan and Trump enjoy a pragmatic and at times close relationship, with Trump publicly praising Erdoğan on multiple occasions.
The two leaders, who met at the White House in September, have stayed in direct contact despite tensions between Ankara and Washington over issues such as Israel’s war on Gaza, Israeli-US war on Iran and defense procurement, with Erdoğan largely avoiding direct confrontation with Trump.