The president spoke only for a few minutes before an apparent Secret Service agent spoke into his ear and guided him out of the briefing room.

According to reports from the scene, Trump was ushered away from the briefing after gunshots were fired outside the White House.

The president returned about nine minutes later and confirmed that there had been a shooting outside the White House.

Trump said the shooting ‘had been done by law enforcement’ and somebody had been taken to the hospital. He then said that ‘someone’ appears to be the ‘suspect’ and he did not comment on the person’s condition.

He also said that the incident happened ‘near the fence but outside the premises’ of the White House, adding that he had been taken to the Oval Office, not the White House bunker.

Despite the shooting, Trump appeared eager to finish his briefing and said he ‘did not even think about not coming back.’

‘I said, “Am I able to go back?” And they said, “You’d have to wait a little while,” and I waited a little while as you know…’

‘And they have a lot of fortification outside just in case but it was one person,’ he continued, pointing out the briefing room window.

Trump then said he was not shaken by the shooting when asked by a reporter.

‘Do I seem rattled?’ he said.

‘The world has been, you look back over the centuries, the world has been a dangerous place, a very dangerous place.’

Trump said that the Secret Service would provide a detailed briefing on the incident.