'Scariest Moment of My Life': Oz Pearlman Recalls Terrifying White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Mid-Magic Trick

Oz Pearlman expected applause when he stepped onto the White House Correspondents’ Dinner stage. Instead, he found himself diving to the floor as gunfire shattered the atmosphere.

The 41-year-old mentalist, who headlined the 2026 event, is now recounting the surreal moment when his performance for President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump abruptly turned into a life-or-death situation.

“I was performing right then for the president, the press secretary and the first lady,” Pearlman said during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, describing how he was mid-trick when the mood shifted.

Pearlman had been engaging White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a personalized trick, preparing to reveal the name of her soon-to-be-born child.

“It [was] kind of a pivotal moment in the trick where you're just about to do the reveal … and we hear commotion,” he recalled.

At first, he thought it might be a medical issue. But as people began “swarming one table,” his concern escalated. Without hearing gunshots initially, he feared something even worse.

“I thought there was a bomb in the room,” Pearlman said.

Moments later, Secret Service agents rushed in and tackled Trump to the ground in what Pearlman described as a surprisingly “violent” move. He dropped to the floor himself, just feet away.

“Oh no, are we about to die?” he remembered thinking.

As the situation intensified, Pearlman said he began to hear what sounded like gunshots. Within seconds, agents evacuated Trump, Melania Trump and other officials from the ballroom.

Pearlman and fellow attendees followed instructions to get low, eventually army-crawling toward an exit.

“I thought there might be somebody still shooting,” he said.

The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly stormed a security checkpoint with multiple weapons before being subdued. He now faces charges including assault on a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Before the chaos, Pearlman had been guessing the name of Leavitt’s unborn child letter by letter, writing it down just as the moment peaked. “I turned around and that’s when you see the first lady go, ‘Oh! Is that the name?’” he said.

The reveal never came. After the incident, however, Leavitt gave him permission to share his guess.

“I believe the name is Vivian,” Pearlman said.

In the aftermath, Pearlman reflected on how quickly a controlled performance can unravel.

“We hit the deck fast and Secret Service acted decisively and professionally to protect us all,” he said.

“It was likely the scariest moment of my life and will never forget it,” he added. “So happy everyone is ok.”