Mike Johnson says Secret Service must 'tighten up' after Trump's third assassination attempt and vows total overhaul of security: 'This can't go on'

By VICTORIA CHURCHILL, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 14:34, 27 April 2026 | Updated: 14:58, 27 April 2026 US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson spoke to Fox News on Monday morning for his first television appearance since Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner. Johnson did not mince his words, telling Fox host Bill Hemmer, 'We need the leaders of the Secret Service to tighten up.'  The Speaker also patted his colleagues on the back, noting 'the House is doing our jobs, Comer has already announced he is having a review with Secret Service.' Pressed by Hemmer on when the Secret Service briefing would be, Johnson did not give an exact time.  Johnson also called President Donald Trump the 'most attacked, maligned political figure in history.' The top House Republican praised as well the rhetoric from Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman after the attack on the ballroom on Saturday. Johnson additionally noted that it was time to 'unify', stating, 'it’s time for us to come together.' Images showed chaos quickly unfolding on Saturday night, with one picture showing House Speaker Mike Johnson being rushed out of the venue by Secret Service members.  US House Speaker Mike Johnson is evacuated as a shooter opens fire during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2026 Trump at the Resolute Desk at the White House surrounded by his cabinet and top staff Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a teacher from Torrance, California, was seen attempting to bolt past a security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives on Saturday night. He exchanged fire with Secret Service agents before they tackled him to the ground and arrested him. One agent was struck in his bulletproof vest and is expected to recover. No one else was harmed. The White House Correspondents' Dinner, an annual black-tie gala that brings politicians and journalists together, was barely underway when the Secret Service was forced to leap into action after a series of shots rang out. Trump released surveillance footage of Allen, dressed in all black, sprinting inside the hotel with a gun in hand before he was rushed by armed guards. Journalists in the room captured images of top administration officials getting rushed to safety. Video footage showed Vice President JD Vance being frantically helped off stage by Secret Service agents, as Trump and Melania ducked for cover. Clips then showed several agents reach for the President and quickly pull him to safety.  One image showed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and his wife, Cheryl Hines, ducking as they ran to safety. Right behind them was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller. After everyone was rushed to safety, the president spoke at a White House press briefing in the West Wing within an hour of the violence. 'It's always shocking when something like this happens,' he said. 'I heard a noise and kinda thought it was a tray going down.' Trump said that immediately, Melania Trump recognized the sound as a 'bad noise,' adding that 'it was a rather traumatic experience for her.' 'Melania was very cognizant,' he continued. The president also shared his wife's fear for his safety, given the multiple assassination attempts against him. Federal prosecutors have announced that Allen is being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. If convicted, Allen could face 20 years in jail for the assault, while the weapons charges come with a minimum of ten years with a possibility of life behind bars if fired. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.