Correspondents’ Dinner attendee hailed after 'burrata' moment during shooting goes viral

One man has been hailed online for seemingly showing cold blood during the chilling incident that interrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner overnight – the first attended by Donald Trump during his presidency. As dozens of attendees took cover under tables and behind chairs as the shots rang out, one guest was caught trying to eat his meal.

Identified as Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Michael Glantz, who works with large names in media, he appeared unfazed while eating a spoonful of his burrata salad as Secret Service ran past. “My man,” one account wrote, sharing a clip of Mr Glantz eating. Another said: “To each their own… The gentleman who continues to eat his salad calmly while the room is being evacuated and others seem to be hiding under the tables is the artistic agent, Michael Glantz.”

The shooting unfolded just outside the vast ballroom at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue, holding thousands of dinner guests, disrupting an annual event meant to honour journalism and the First Amendment, minutes after it began. The shooting suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.

Vice-President JD Vance was removed from the room first, while agents initially covered Mr Trump in place before escorting him and First Lady Melania Trump from the room. The president briefly stumbled as he left the stage before being assisted by security. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.

Mr Trump was held for some time in a secure presidential suite at the hotel and initially sought to resume the event, but he was eventually returned to the White House on the advice of the Secret Service. The event was then called off and will be rescheduled.

It was the third time since 2024 that the president had been under threat by an attacker in his immediate vicinity, including the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, during a campaign rally that injured him and killed a local firefighter.