Donald Trump Praises Wife Melania for Being 'Strong' and 'Smart' During Her 'Traumatic' First Shooting

In a 60 Minutes interview with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD) on Saturday, April 25, President Donald Trump praised First Lady Melania Trump as "very strong" and "smart.”

While the FLOTUS did not issue a formal public statement, several of her immediate verbal reactions were shared by the president and captured by witnesses.

Video footage from the event reportedly captured her whispering “Oh my God” as the situation escalated.

When asked by reporters later that evening if she wished to offer her own thoughts, she demurred and remained silent.

He emphasized how well she handled the "traumatic" situation, noting that while he had "been through this before," this was her first time being present during such an event.

"I’ve been through this before a couple of times, and she has not — to this extent. She handled it great. I mean, she's very strong, smart. She got it. She knew what was happening," he said.

Trump revealed that Melania was "very cognizant" and immediately identified the sound of gunfire as a "bad noise" while they were seated on stage at the Washington Hilton.

Witnesses said the 56-year-old first lady remained calm, straightened her posture and eventually crouched under the table for safety before being escorted out by the Secret Service.

The 79-year-old president remarked that she "handled it great" and "knew what was happening," praising her for following protocol when agents moved to evacuate them.

"I want to thank the first lady, that was a rather traumatic experience for her," Donald said.

Sources familiar with her team stated that she is "holding up well" and is deeply grateful for the Secret Service's quick actions.

Before this event, she had expressed long-standing concerns about her family's safety, famously telling her husband, "You are in a dangerous job."

Vice President J.D Vance was evacuated by the Secret Service faster than the president was after gunfire was first reported outside the Washington Hilton.

While J.D. was removed within approximately 12 seconds, it took agents roughly 30 seconds to fully extract Donald, who said he made it difficult for the Secret Service to remove him because he “wanted to see what was going on.”

A viral photo showed Donald appearing to watch the chaos from the background as panicked people, like his Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, appeared to scurry out, shielded by his pregnant wife, Katie Miller.

A 30-year-old suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly charged a security checkpoint and opened fire near the ballroom.

One Secret Service agent, who was shot in his bulletproof vest, is reportedly "doing great.”

Following the shooting, Donald called for the dinner to be rescheduled within 30 days with increased security.