Stephen A. Smith calls out heated political rhetoric after WHCD security scare
ESPN journalist Stephen A. Smith recounted the panic he experienced during a security scare at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunfire outside the Washington Hilton disrupted the event. While the suspect was stopped before entering the ballroom, guests, including Smith, took cover amid uncertainty and fear. Smith condemned the nation's heated political rhetoric and rejected online conspiracy theories, urging leaders to stop incendiary language. He also agreed with President Trump that future events should be held on White House grounds for better security.
- ▪Gunfire outside the Washington Hilton during the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner caused panic inside the ballroom, though the suspect never entered.
- ▪ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith described guests ducking under tables, fearing an active shooter situation for several tense seconds.
- ▪Smith rejected conspiracy theories about the incident, calling it irresponsible for journalists to speculate without evidence.
- ▪He criticized the country's political rhetoric, urging leaders to stop name-calling and incendiary speech.
- ▪Smith agreed with President Trump that the dinner should be held on White House grounds instead of a public hotel for security reasons.
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OutKick Stephen A. Smith calls out heated political rhetoric after WHCD security scare Smith said he agreed with the president that the event should be held on White House grounds, not a hotel By Alejandro Avila OutKick Published April 27, 2026 9:02pm EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google Journalist Stephen A. Smith attends ESPN First Take at Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 8, 2024. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Stephen A. Smith expected a routine night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The black tie event was anything but, as it turned into a moment of real fear. if (window && window.foxstrike && Array.isArray(window.foxstrike.cmd)) { window.foxstrike.cmd.push(function(Strike) { Strike.insertAd('tablet', 'lb2', 'tablet-tw-ad-lb2', ''); }); } else { console.error('Error: window.foxstrike not found'); } if (window && window.foxstrike && Array.isArray(window.foxstrike.cmd)) { window.foxstrike.cmd.push(function(Strike) { Strike.insertAd('mobile', 'ban1', 'mobile-mw-ad-ban1', ''); }); } else { console.error('Error: window.foxstrike not found'); } The ESPN host was inside the Washington Hilton on Saturday night when gunfire outside the event triggered panic throughout the room.Ben Stiller's three-word post about the Knicks sparked a firestorm after White House security scare President Donald Trump posted a photo on social media showing law enforcement detaining Cole Thomas Allen following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. (US President Trump via Truth Social/Anadolu/Getty Images) A shotgun used by Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Association dinner shooting, is displayed before Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and others held a news conference at the Department of Justice on April 27, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc) if (window && window.foxstrike && Array.isArray(window.foxstrike.cmd)) { window.foxstrike.cmd.push(function(Strike) { Strike.insertAd('desktop', 'lb2', 'desktop-desk-ad-lb2', ''); }); } else { console.error('Error: window.foxstrike not found'); } The deranged anti-Trump and anti-Christian gunman never made it into the ballroom and was stopped by security, but for several tense seconds, no one inside knew that. if (window && window.foxstrike && Array.isArray(window.foxstrike.cmd)) { window.foxstrike.cmd.push(function(Strike) { Strike.insertAd('mobile', 'ban2', 'mobile-mw-ad-ban2', ''); }); } else { console.error('Error: window.foxstrike not found'); } On his YouTube show Monday, Smith described the chaos as guests scrambled to react without clear information. if (window && window.foxstrike && Array.isArray(window.foxstrike.cmd)) { window.foxstrike.cmd.push(function(Strike) { Strike.insertAd('tablet', 'lb3', 'tablet-tw-ad-lb3', ''); }); } else { console.error('Error: window.foxstrike not found'); } "What scared the living hell out of everybody was that you thought at least for a few seconds that the room had been penetrated," Smith said. "So all of us had to get down. We ducked under tables, ducked under chairs and all of that other stuff." Stephen A. Smith speaks on the shocking assassination attempt at White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)What should have been a unifying moment against political violence once again turned into political chicanery from the Left. if (window && window.foxstrike…
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