US President Donald Trump said the shooter who created chaos at the White House press dinner carried multiple weapons, and also thanked the Secret Service for their bravery in handling the threat.

Giving details of the incident, Trump said the shooting suspect was his “would-be assassin”, but thanks to the Secret Service who stopped him. The suspect also shot a security officer at the media gala, he said.

A video posted by the US president showed the suspect running past a security barricade as Secret Service agents ran toward him.

“He was a very sick man,” Trump said of the shooter. “The room was very secure. He charged from 50 yards away. The reaction time of the Secret Service was very fast,” Trump added.

However, Trump contradicted himself in another comment when he said “it’s not a particularly secure building.”

“One officer was shot but saved by the fact that he was wearing a, obviously, a very good bulletproof vest. We looked at all of the conditions that took place tonight, and I will say, you know, it’s not a particularly secure building,” he said.