Share and Follow
On Sunday, former President Barack Obama faced criticism for his remarks on the motives behind the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, despite the existence of a manifesto allegedly linked to the suspect. The manifesto, which was first reported by the New York Post, outlines the intentions of Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old alleged gunman. His focus, as stated in the document, was on targeting members of the Trump administration during the exclusive event.
The manifesto, said to be penned by Allen, expresses a vehement rejection of passivity in the face of wrongdoing. “Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed,” it reportedly declares, distancing Allen from personal victimhood. He mentions, “I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial,” highlighting various injustices he perceives.
Further, the document continues with a critique of inaction against oppression, portraying it as complicity. “Turning the other cheek when *someone else* is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes,” he writes, positioning himself as a defender of those he believes are victimized by the administration.
In a particularly striking section, Allen is said to have written, “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” This declaration underscores his alleged motivation for targeting officials, reflecting a personal moral stance against individuals he accuses of severe misconduct.
In one passage, Allen allegedly wrote: ‘I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.’
But several hours after the missive, Obama claimed ‘details about the motives’ were still unclear.
‘Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, it’s incumbent upon us all to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy,’ he posted on X Sunday evening.
‘It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and the sacrifice that US Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them – and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be OK.’
The former commander-in-chief quickly received some backlash for the post.
President Barack Obama (pictured in 2024) has come under fire for suggesting a motive for the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner remains unclear
A missive written by the alleged gunman details his plan to target members of the Trump administration
Obama posted to X on Sunday that ‘we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting’
‘There is no ambiguity. It was a politically-motivated attack driven by anti-Trump and anti-Christian bile. It’s wrong to downplay or obscure the obvious motive,’ former Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin posted.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin also hit out at the former president.
‘Let’s not pretend to be this clueless about motive,’ he wrote.
‘The attempted assassin put out an anti-Trump manifesto about wanting to kill Trump Admin officials, minutes before trying to storm a ballroom filled with the President, VP, Cabinet and many others from his Admin.’
Utah Senator Mike Lee added: ‘It was politically motivated. He made that pretty clear.’
Even an account belonging to the Republican National Committee blasted Obama for his remark.
‘Law enforcement officers confirmed this radicalized Leftist was targeting President Trump and his administration last night,’ RNC Research wrote. ‘Why are you lying?’
After reading the missive, President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that Democrats helped radicalize far-left agitators like Allen.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, sent the eerie anti-Trump writing to his family members just 10 minutes before he allegedly opened fire at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night
Obama quickly received some backlash for his post
He also cited the Internet as having ‘radicalized some people’ and ‘made some people mentally sick,’ and argued that the far-left is spreading violent rhetoric.
‘I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats much more so is very dangerous,’ Trump told CBS’ Norah O’Donnell in an interview for ’60 Minutes.’
‘I really think it’s very dangerous for the country.’
President Donald Trump and Melania took to the stage with other members of his cabinet just moments before shots rang out and chaos unfolded.
One Secret Service agent was harmed when he was struck in his bulletproof vest, and was expected to recover.
An ensuing investigation revealed Allen had been staying at the Hilton hotel where the event was taking place in the lead up to the gala, and his family has said he would regularly visit a shooting range to train with his guns.
He was also said to be armed with two guns and knives when he allegedly sprinted past a security checkpoint and attempted to reach the doors to the ballroom where the president was gathered along with his most senior cabinet members and thousands of journalists.
Trump said the shooter appeared to be like a ‘blur’ in surveillance footage showing him racing through the hotel hallway on Saturday night, joking that the ‘NFL should sign him up.’
‘But it was amazing because as soon as they [law enforcement] saw that, you could see them draw their guns. They were so professional, aimed their guns, and then they took him down immediately,’ Trump told O’Donnell.
The suspect is now expected to be arraigned Monday on two counts of wielding a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.