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In an alarming incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, a man has been charged with attempting to breach security and allegedly plotted to assassinate President Donald Trump. Just moments before his attempt, he took a photo of himself in his hotel room, equipped with a bag of ammunition, a shoulder gun holster, and a sheathed knife, as revealed by investigators in a recent court document.
The suspect, identified as Cole Allen, was dressed in black pants, a black shirt, and a red tie when he captured the image at the Washington Hilton. This same location was hosting President Trump and numerous journalists for a gala on that Saturday evening, according to authorities.
Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, was apprehended after trying to dash past security barriers near the ballroom. This led to a gunfire exchange with Secret Service agents, who are responsible for the protection of the event. His attorney has stated that Allen is presumed innocent in these proceedings.
Fortunately, President Trump, who is a member of the Republican party, was unharmed and was swiftly escorted off the stage by his security detail.
After the incident, Trump addressed the situation from the White House, still dressed in his tuxedo, saying, “When you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone.” He also noted that authorities believe the attacker acted independently, describing him as a “lone wolf.”
New details emerged in a court filing made by prosecutors who want Allen to remain in custody.
The government said he repeatedly made online checks to keep track of Trump’s status that night, including live coverage of the president exiting his vehicle at the Hilton hotel. Investigators said preset emails with an “Apology and Explanation” attachment were sent at approximately 8:30 p.m.
“He intended to kill and fired his shotgun while trying to breach security and attack his target. Put simply, the defendant poses an uncommonly serious danger to the community if released pending trial. The defendant’s lack of criminal history and other personal circumstances do not alter this conclusion,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones wrote.
An FBI affidavit filed in the case on Monday revealed other details about the planning behind the assault, with authorities alleging that Allen on April 6 reserved a room for himself at the Washington hotel where the event would be held weeks later under its typical tight security. He traveled by train cross-country from California last week, checking himself into the Washington Hilton one day before the dinner with a room reserved for the weekend.
The dinner had barely begun when, officials say, Allen tried to race past security barricades near the cavernous ballroom holding hundreds of journalists and their guests, authorities said. Allen carried with him a 12-gauge pump action shotgun he bought last year and a .38 caliber semiautomatic pistol he purchased in 2023, authorities said.
Allen was injured during the attack but was not shot. A Secret Service officer was shot but was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and survived, officials say.