Franco Ordonez

He called the Washington Hilton not a particularly secure site, as he explained on Fox News.

The White House ballroom is facing legal hurdles.

Even if it is built, it's not clear if the dinner could be held there.

The annual event is private.

Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

journalists, politicians, members of the cabinet, their staffs, some celebrities, everyone is diving to the floor.

The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, just a couple tables down, diving to the floor.

Then a swarm of agents are coming in, guns drawn, stepping over people, stepping over tables.

Ah,

One colleague, Courtney Dorning, was lying next to a member of the hotel staff and could hear her saying and praying that she didn't want to die.

People are just finishing up their first dish.

Salads and plates were being cleared when we heard this bang, bang, bang.

I heard at least three bangs.

My guest, who is in the administration, kind of turns toward me, kind of with a half glance towards the back as well, which is where we heard these bangs from, and then just crash.

I mean, everything's crashing to the floor.

These are people crashing to the floors, plates crashing, people, trays going in.

And it was just very chaotic.

You heard a few screams and then security was rushing in.

Dozens of dozens of security agents.

You had Secret Service.