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Oz Pearlman recounts WHCA dinner shooting: ‘Really shocking’

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by Max Rego - 04/26/26 2:01 PM ET

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by Max Rego - 04/26/26 2:01 PM ET

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Mentalist Oz Pearlman on Sunday recounted when a gunman exchanged fire with law enforcement outside the ballroom where Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was taking place.

Pearlman told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he was performing a trick for President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt when they heard “commotion” at the Washington Hilton.

“It wasn’t gunshots. I wasn’t sure if it was a tray,” he recalled. “We’re also higher than everyone [on stage]. So, we have a very good vantage point versus the thousands of people in the room. And I see everyone swarming one table.”

Pearlman noted that he at first thought a “bomb” was about to go off and realized he had to “get down” on the ground.

“It was incredibly surreal,” he added. “I get down. I kind of get down on all fours facing left, stage left, and then I watch. It feels like slow motion because of the way the adrenaline is.”

A man, who multiple outlets identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen, exchanged gunfire with law enforcement officers outside of the ballroom. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told reporters Saturday that the man will be arraigned on Monday on two charges — using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

The gunman struck one Secret Service officer in the vest, but the officer was taken to a local hospital and is in “good spirits,” according to interim Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffery Carroll.

While on the ground, Pearlman said that Secret Service agents took President Trump to the floor as well. As the famous mentalist was on “all fours,” he and the president looked at each other for roughly two seconds, he said.

“I have never been that close to the president or face-to-face in a very intimate moment,” Pearlman said. “So, we’re looking at each other. And I don’t know what’s going on. But it was just a stare and then out. But, yes, it was really shocking.”

After army-crawling backstage, Pearlman saw Vice President Vance, whom he said “looked very calm, and he actually was very assuring.” Overall, though, it was “chaos” backstage, Pearlman recounted.

As for the trick he was performing before the shooting occurred, Pearlman said he was doing it for Leavitt. The press secretary was “thinking of a name,” although the magician did not say which name he eventually said.

On Sunday morning, he told ABC’s Jonathan Karl that Leavitt, who is pregnant, asked him to guess what she will name her daughter. After writing down his guess, to which the first lady reacted in shock, officers informed them all to get down.

Pearlman said that the name he guessed was Vivian, and added that he will “never forget” the events of the night.

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