President Donald Trump sharply rebuked Norah O’Donnell during a televised interview following the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, reacting angrily to a question referencing claims made in the suspect’s manifesto. The exchange occurred during a 60 Minutes segment aired April 26, as federal authorities continued investigating the motive behind the attack.
The shooting unfolded at the Washington Hilton hotel, where a gunman identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen allegedly charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons. Law enforcement officials said the suspect was subdued after firing shots, with one Secret Service agent injured but later released from the hospital. President Trump and other officials were evacuated, and the event was canceled shortly after the incident.
During the interview, O’Donnell referenced passages from the suspect’s manifesto, which described administration officials as targets and included inflammatory accusations. Trump immediately objected to the question and the decision to read the statement on air, responding forcefully. “Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you’re horrible people. Horrible people. Yeah, he did write that. I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody.” Norah – “Oh, you think he was referring to you?” — Trump – “Excuse me. I’m not a pedophile. You read that crap from some sick person. I got associated with all stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated. Your friends on the other side of the plate are the ones that were involved with, let’s say, Epstein or other things. But I said to myself, you know, I’ll do this interview and they’ll probably — I read the manifesto. You know, he’s a sick person. But you should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I’m not any of those things. Excuse me. Excuse me. You shouldn’t be reading that on 60 Minutes. You’re a disgrace. But go ahead. Let’s finish the interview.”
.@POTUS SLAMS @60Minutes: "You should be ashamed of yourself, reading that — because I'm not any of those things." pic.twitter.com/QWxqoUFUaF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2026
Authorities say the manifesto, which was sent to the suspect’s family before the attack, outlined a plan to target Trump administration officials “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.” Investigators also found additional writings at the suspect’s home in California and in his hotel room. The writings included criticism of security at the venue and statements suggesting premeditation.
Trump’s reaction underscored his broader criticism of the media’s handling of the incident, particularly the decision to highlight accusations made by the suspect. The tense exchange became one of the most notable moments from the interview, reflecting the charged atmosphere surrounding both the attack and its aftermath.