Baba UmarWashington DC — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that American officials discussed appointing a designated survivor ahead of the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) gala dinner, but they decided against the designation because several senior cabinet members were not in attendance at the event.
In response to a question during Monday’s briefing about the lack of a designated survivor protocol at the event where shots were fired outside the Washington Hilton, with President Trump, Melania Trump and others inside, Leavitt said, "There were conversations before the dinner about designating a specific survivor, [but] there were several members of the Cabinet in the line of succession who did not attend for various personal reasons."
"So, designating one survivor was not necessary, as we had several members who were not there already."
On Saturday, Trump was quickly escorted from the venue by Secret Service agents following the sound of gunshots. Video footage indicated that the gunman, identified as Californian educator, Cole Tomas Allen, bypassed an initial security perimetre.
No one was killed, but officials reported that a bullet struck one agent's bulletproof vest.
In a CBS interview on Sunday evening, Trump was asked if he feared casualties as Washington's government and media figures sought cover at the black-tie dinner below. "I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world," Trump stated.
Three assassination bids
Leavitt described the foiled attack as the third major assassination attempt in two years against President Trump, calling it a national emergency driven by extreme political rhetoric.
"No other president in history has faced such repeated, serious attempts on his life."
Leavitt said that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will convene a meeting with officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the US Secret Service and the White House operations team to "ensure the safety and the security of the president."
She said the event was "hijacked by a depraved crazy person" who she said sought to assassinate the president and harm top administration officials.
She noted the shooter’s manifesto reportedly echoed Democratic talking points and years of "demonisation" of Trump.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the suspected shooter Allen, 31, was arraigned in a court on charges of trying to assassinate the president and two firearms crimes.
Allen faces a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted of attempting to kill Trump.
A designated survivor is a US government official kept away from major events where the President, Vice President, and most of Congress gather.
If a catastrophe wipes out those ahead in line, the survivor becomes acting president to ensure continuity of government.
