Keir Starmer communicated with Donald Trump today following an incident where gunfire erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The President and First Lady, Melania Trump, were swiftly evacuated from the event by the Secret Service as chaos ensued with gunshots heard. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was allegedly armed with a shotgun and handgun.
Earlier, the UK Prime Minister conveyed his support to President Trump and later had a phone conversation with him, as confirmed by Downing Street. During the call, the Prime Minister extended well wishes to the President and First Lady in light of the distressing events at the dinner, expressing relief that they were unharmed and offering speedy recovery wishes to the injured officer.
In a morning statement, the Prime Minister denounced the incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, emphasizing the need to condemn any attacks on democratic institutions or press freedom in the strongest terms and expressing relief that the President, First Lady, and attendees were safe.
The leaders also addressed topics including the Middle East and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. The upcoming state visit of His Majesty the King to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence is crucial amid strained US-UK relations due to disagreements over the Iran conflict.
Amid hopes that the state visit may ease tensions given President Trump’s admiration for the Royal Family, concerns over security have heightened following the shooting incident. Tory Chris Philp called for an urgent review of the King’s security arrangements. Mr. Jones reiterated the close coordination between teams to ensure appropriate security measures for the upcoming visit.
Regarding the King’s safety, Mr. Jones assured that extensive discussions were ongoing to address any potential risks and stressed the seriousness with which security concerns are being handled by the Government and the Palace. When pressed for details by the BBC, he affirmed that security measures would be in place according to the perceived risk level.
