US President Donald Trump has said that the suspect involved in the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner was carrying several weapons.

The US president was speaking to reporters at the White House after he and other senior US officials were evacuated from the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night following a shooting outside the ballroom.

Trump said he did not think the incident was tied to the war in Iran based on information so far, but he added that his actions toward Tehran could have made him a target and that he would not be deterred.

“When you do things like that, you become a target. If I wasn’t doing that, I guess I’d be a lot less of a target, but I’m honoured to be,” he told reporters at the White House.

“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, I really don’t think so based on what we know.”

Quoting two law enforcement officials, the Associated Press said the suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California.

Trump said the suspect had been carrying several weapons before being stopped by the Secret Service.

One agent was struck by gunfire but was unharmed thanks to a bulletproof vest.

“He was hit at very close range with a high-powered weapon, and the vest held up,” Trump said.

Washington interim police chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters the assailant apparently acted alone and was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.

He said the gunman’s motive was still unclear.