Oz Perlman Reflects on Chaotic White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Mentalist Oz Perlman shared his thoughts on the chaotic scenes during the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner, describing the experience as “surreal” and filled with a sense of fear and confusion.
Perlman appeared on “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade” and said, “This is atrocious and dangerous. You can feel the hairs on your neck start to stand up. When you watch the video, you can’t believe this happened 24 hours ago.” He was next to President Donald Trump at the time and found it difficult to grasp the unfolding situation.
He recalled that when the panic intensified, someone beside him collapsed. Initially, he didn’t consider the possibility of a shooter. “The reason I’m saying this is because of how they looked when they came in; it didn’t seem like they were going to shoot anyone,” he explained. Instead, he thought they were trying to stop someone, and he had a momentary fear that a bomb might explode.
In response to the chaos, Perlman crawled on the ground, preparing for an explosion. Secret Service agents quickly moved in to protect Trump and guide him to safety. “Probably the most surreal moment of my life was when President Trump came down about a foot away from me,” he recalled, sharing how they locked eyes in that tense moment.
Perlman’s thoughts during the ordeal were focused on survival. He expressed a feeling of dread, saying, “Oh, I hope I’m not dead.” Adrenaline was coursing through him as he attempted to convince himself that the Secret Service wouldn’t push the President to the ground for a mere fire drill.
Shortly after, he reported hearing gunshots, though it was unclear whether they originated from inside or outside the venue. As the situation unfolded, he and others at the podium crawled to safety, unsure if the shooter was still present.
Backstage, he described the scene as “controlled chaos,” with armed agents everywhere as attendees tried to ascertain if anyone had been hurt. He mentioned feeling somewhat safe but was concerned about his wife, who was in the audience. The communication barriers during this chaotic time made it difficult for him to reach her.
The chaos erupted when a gunman, identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from Torrance, California, allegedly breached a Secret Service checkpoint at the dinner while armed. Allen reportedly opened fire on a Secret Service agent and was shot while wearing a bulletproof vest. Law enforcement revealed that Allen claimed he was targeting Trump administration officials after his arrest.
