Who is Trump’s “would-be assassin”… were there security failings at DC shooting?

On April 26, 2026, a 34-minute episode titled “Who is Trump’s ‘would-be assassin’… were there security failings at DC shooting?” was released, accessible for over a year. The U.S. president described the attacker who entered the White House correspondents’ dinner through a security breach as having written a “manifesto,” hinting at a potential ideological motive. Investigators are still assessing whether the assault targeted the president and his senior advisors specifically.

Hosts and Guest

Justin Webb, a Radio 4 presenter, and Sarah Smith, North America Editor, spoke with BBC State Department Correspondent Tom Bateman. He was on-site during the event and provided firsthand accounts of the unfolding chaos.

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Production Credits

This episode was produced by Alix Pickles and Purvee Pattni. Technical assistance came from Rohan Madison, with Purvee Pattni overseeing the series as producer. Sam Bonham served as the senior news editor.

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US Election Unspun: Subscribe to Anthony’s BBC newsletter at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155. Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The same team also creates other podcasts, including Newscast and Radical. Explore additional series through these links: Newscast, Radical, and The Global Story.