White House issues statement on World Cup security after assassination attempts on Donald Trump

The White House has issued a statement on World Cup security after US President Donald Trump was targeted by a gunman during an event at a Washington DC hotel on Saturday (April 25).

The incident occurred in the basement of the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House press dinner on Saturday evening, with several high-ranking members of the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, among those in attendance.

The gunman, who has since been identified as a 31-year-old Californian named Cole Thomas Allen, possessed multiple weapons, including knives and at least one firearm, and ran past security officers at a security gate before firing between five and eight shots as personnel rushed after him.

President Trump was sitting next to his wife, Melania, at the front of the ballroom while loud gunshots could be heard, prompting Secret Service agents to rush Vance and the President away from the scene before others hid under tables.

The room was later locked down.

In the aftermath of the incident, Trump posted a photograph of the suspect being held, cuffed behind his back, while Secret Service personnel stood nearby.

This was the third known attempt on the President’s life since July 2024, when he was hit in the ear by a bullet during a campaign rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

A 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot and killed within seconds of firing.

A second attempt occurred at a West Palm Beach resort in Florida in September of the same year, with Ryan Wesley Routh later sentenced to life in prison for plotting to kill Trump.

After the latest attempt on his life, the President admitted that the Hilton was “not a particularly secure building”, raising further questions about the safety of high-profile figures ahead of events such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico this summer.

Concerns have already been raised in relation to the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in and around stadiums, while the presence of Iran – a nation currently at war with the US – also raises further questions about security among some.

White House issues World Cup security statement

On Monday (April 27), SPORTbible contacted the White House to inquire about any enhanced security measures being considered to protect officials, players and visiting world leaders in light of the recent assassination attempts, and received the following statement:

“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to eleven host cities across America. This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA and all of our great federal, state and local partners. President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history.”

The US will host 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches, including the final. The tournament gets underway on June 11, with Mexico facing South Africa at Estadio Azteca.