Assassination attempt on Donald Trump at White House Correspondents' Dinner
Consensus Summary
On April 26, 2026, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California, attempted to assassinate US President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, DC. Allen rushed a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, pistol, and knives, firing at a Secret Service agent who was wearing a bulletproof vest. The agent was not seriously injured, and Allen was apprehended before reaching the ballroom where Trump and other officials were dining. Investigators found a manifesto sent by Allen to his family, which targeted Trump administration officials and referred to himself as the 'Friendly Federal Assassin'. Allen was charged with attempted assassination, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of firearms across state lines. He was detained and pleaded not guilty in court. The incident raised questions about security protocols at the event, as Allen was able to access the hotel with his weapons despite being a registered guest. The Secret Service and law enforcement were praised for their swift response, which prevented further harm. The shooting was the third assassination attempt on Trump in less than two years, highlighting ongoing concerns about political violence in the United States.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California, is the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 26, 2026.
- Allen was armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol, and multiple knives during the attack.
- The shooting occurred at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, DC, during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 26, 2026, around 8:30 PM local time.
- Allen was apprehended by Secret Service agents after rushing a security checkpoint outside the ballroom where Trump and other officials were dining.
- Allen was charged with attempted assassination of the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of firearms across state lines.
- A Secret Service agent was shot in the chest but was wearing a bulletproof vest and survived the incident.
- Allen allegedly sent a manifesto to family members before the attack, targeting Trump administration officials and referring to himself as the 'Friendly Federal Assassin'.
- Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, for the attack.
- Allen was charged and appeared in court on April 29, 2026, and pleaded not guilty on May 11, 2026.
- Allen was detained and agreed to remain in custody pending trial.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- ABC Americas editor John Lyons noted that security at the event was minimal, requiring only a ticket to enter without ID checks or pat-downs.
- Donald Trump posted a picture of the suspected shooter on Truth Social, calling him a 'sick person'.
- Trump said he was 'all set to really rip' into the media in his speech before the shooting interrupted the event.
- Trump mentioned that he was 'not making it easy' for Secret Service agents to evacuate him, as he wanted to see what was happening.
- The Guardian reported that Allen's manifesto included a list of targets prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest-ranking Trump administration officials, excluding FBI Director Kash Patel.
- The Guardian noted that Allen's social media posts compared Trump to Adolf Hitler and encouraged others critical of his presidency to purchase guns.
- The Guardian mentioned that Allen's family notified police in Connecticut about his writings before the attack, though the timing was disputed by New London Police.
- The Guardian reported that Allen's LinkedIn profile described him as a 'mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth'.
- The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Allen's manifesto included a postscript expressing surprise at the lack of security at the hotel.
- The SMH noted that Allen's manifesto referred to Trump as a 'pedophile, rapist, and traitor'.
- The Age reported that Allen's manifesto was published in full by the New York Post, which outlined his targets and motives.
- The Age mentioned that Allen legally purchased a semiautomatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025.
- News.com.au reported that Allen allegedly told police he was targeting 'administration officials' at the press gala.
- News.com.au mentioned that Allen's brother contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving writings from Allen.
- SBS reported that Trump released an image of the 'lone' gunman and said he was the target of the shooting.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian and ABC report that Allen's family notified police in Connecticut about his writings before the attack, but the New London Police Department stated that contact was made at 10:49 PM, two hours after the shooting.
- The Guardian and ABC report that Allen was not shot during the incident, but some sources suggest he was injured and taken to hospital for evaluation.
- The Guardian and ABC report that Allen was charged with attempted assassination of the president, but the exact timeline of when he was charged with this specific crime varies slightly between sources.
- The Guardian and ABC report that Allen's manifesto was sent to family members before the attack, but the timing and authenticity of the manifesto are disputed by some sources.
- The Guardian and ABC report that Allen was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives, but some sources suggest the exact number of weapons may vary.
Source Articles
Trump says shooter's 'manifesto' shows he was a 'sick guy'
Several US media outlets are reporting on the existence of the manifesto, which reportedly states the shooter wanted to target administration officials, and was sent to the suspect's family members just before the attack.
Hearing for suspect in White House correspondents’ dinner shooting scheduled for today – US politics live
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Suspect charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at press dinner
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Trump shooting: Suspect ‘armed with guns and knives’ charged after shots fired at presidential dinner
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Live: Trump says shooting suspect was armed with multiple weapons before being stopped by Secret Service
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Prosecutors release selfies of alleged White House dinner shooter at hotel
Attorneys, citing new evidence including photographs, also filed a motion to detain Cole Tomas Allen until his trial Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Federal prosecutors provided in a filing on Wednesday the most detailed account to date of Cole Tomas Allen’s alleged weeks-long plan to kill Donald Trump , who had joined more than 2,500 members of the Washington press corps for their annual White House correspondents’ dinner. The motion , aimed at keep
Questions mount for US authorities after yet another security threat
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Suspect in White House press dinner shooting pleads not guilty to all charges
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Washington shooting suspect charged
The man accused of open firing at a Washington gala faces life in prison after being charged with attempting to assassinate the US President.
Man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump to remain in custody
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, allegedly stormed the White House correspondents’ association dinner The man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump by rushing the black-tie press gala in Washington DC at the weekend where the US president was a guest, agreed on Thursday to remain in custody while his federal criminal case moves forward. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen , 31, was not planning immediately to contest prosecutors’ arguments that he was a danger to the community and should remain in ja
White House press dinner shooting suspect could be charged with trying to assassinate Trump, says Blanche
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The security breach that exposed Trump to a gunman
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‘Friendly Federal Assassin’: Alleged shooter’s manifesto says he was targeting Trump officials
The US president said the writings showed suspect Cole Tomas Allen was a “sick” and “very troubled guy” who hated Christians.
Trump was 'all set to really rip', but shooting has changed tune on media
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Live: Gunshots heard as Trump evacuated from White House correspondents' dinner
Attendees including US President Donald Trump took cover at the White House correspondents' dinner after a loud noise was heard. Follow live.
Suspected shooter apprehended after Donald Trump evacuated from White House correspondents’ dinner – live
President and other top leaders evacuated from the annual dinner after an unspecified threat CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said he was within a few feet of the shooter, and called into CNN to describe his observations. Blitzer said he saw “a very, very serious weapon. He starts shooting, and I happened to have been a few feet away from him. As he was shooting, of course, the first thing that went through my mind: is he trying to shoot me? And I don’t think he was trying to shoot me, but I was very clo
I’ve covered Trump for a decade. At the White House correspondents’ dinner, darkness came viscerally close
Men in tuxedos and women in dresses dove under tables, like a scene from a dozen Hollywood movies, but now it was happening to me Shocking. Unnerving. Unpredictable. Violent. For a decade I have been following the twists and turns of Donald Trump’s America with the privilege of journalistic distance. On Saturday night I felt the darkness come viscerally close. Bang! Bang! What was that? Where was it? At 8.36pm panic and pandemonium reigned in the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel
White House press dinner shooting raises questions over security at event
Secret Service director says security succeeded in stopping shooter before he could do further harm but others disagree The shooting at the White House correspondents’ gala has prompted questions over security, with some asking how a shooter was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior administration officials were gathered and many others praising the actions of law enforcement officers that swiftly stopped the attack. As details about the shooting at the Washington Hilton
Trump was being shown a party trick. Then gunshots rang out
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Live: Suspect in White House press dinner shooting due to appear in court
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, is expected to face firearm and assault charges. Follow live.
Anti-Trump sentiment being examined as motive for White House press dinner shooting
Manifesto reportedly written by the suspect had Trump administration officials at top of list Trump tells 60 Minutes he ‘wasn’t worried’ during shooting How the White House press dinner shooting unfolded Investigators are looking into anti-Trump sentiment as being a motive for the attacker who sought to breach the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC where the US president and top members of his administration were present. Officials have said that the shooter likely was targeting
Man accused of attempting to storm Trump dinner to remain in jail
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, appears briefly in court, days after he allegedly attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner armed with guns and knives.
Teacher of the month turned assassin. Who is Cole Allen?
Details from the life of US President Donald Trump's would-be assassin paint a picture of a high achiever who took an abrupt turn towards political violence.
‘Friendly Federal Assassin’: Alleged shooter’s manifesto says he was targeting Trump officials
The US president said the writings showed suspect Cole Tomas Allen was a “sick” and “very troubled guy” who hated Christians.
Suspected gunman likely targeting Trump administration officials at White House press dinner, acting attorney general says – live
Todd Blanche says 31-year-old suspect will be charged with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer Suspected gunman at White House press dinner named ‘We went under the table screaming’: reactions from the White House correspondents’ dinner shooting Donald Trump took to Trump Social on Sunday to repeat his statement from the night before in which he said the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner was why a White House ballroom was
‘We went under the table screaming’: reactions from the White House correspondents’ dinner shooting
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Gunman was targeting Trump officials
The gunman who charged a security checkpoint and opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ dinner has reportedly told police he was targeting Trump officials.
Man charged with White House correspondents' dinner shooting pleads not guilty
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, has been charged with attempting to assassinate US president Donald Trump at the April dinner.
Jeanine Pirro says evidence shows suspect shot officer at White House press dinner
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Live: Donald Trump says 'very sick person' targeted him, in another assassination attempt
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'Get down': Trump rushed from Washington event, shooter apprehended
US President Donald Trump is evacuated from the White House correspondents' dinner after a security incident.
Suspect in custody after Trump evacuated in shooting incident at White House correspondents’ dinner
US president and first lady were unharmed and suspect is being charged with two counts of felony firearms and assault charges Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday evening after the event was interrupted by gunfire. A suspect was in custody, the FBI said, after the annual black tie dinner honoring the White House press corps in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton was suddenly interrupted
Gunfire at the White House correspondents’ dinner is another grim sign of our times | Robert Reich
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Video shows moment shooter tried to storm White House dinner, officials say
Footage posted on social media by federal prosecutors includes captions claiming Cole Tomas Allen shot first Federal prosecutors released footage Thursday of the moment officials say Cole Tomas Allen tried to storm last week’s White House Correspondents’ Association ’s dinner in an alleged attempt to kill Donald Trump . Amid questions about whether or not Allen fired his weapon before being subdued, Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington DC, released edited security camera foota
This was one of the most vulnerable moments ever for a US government
ABC Americas editor was inside the ballroom when a shooting suspect was stopped by the Secret Service.
White House Correspondents’ Dinner suspect to be charged as Trump prepares to welcome king – US politics live
Suspect in Saturday evening’s shooting – Cole Tomas Allen – expected to be formally charged in court today Trump said he ‘wasn’t worried’ during shooting Sign up for the Breaking News US email Here’s more about the timing of King Charles’s visit today with Donald Trump at the White House. According to Trump’s official schedule, the president will greet King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House at 4:15pm ET. Shortly after, they’ll have tea and then tour a beehive at the White House. Conti
Live: Trump likely target of shooting at correspondents' dinner, official says
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Correspondents’ dinner suspect faces new charge of assaulting federal officer
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Trump's would-be assassin took selfie 'armed to the teeth', court told
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First image of alleged shooter’s gun revealed
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Man charged with attempted assassination of Trump in Washington dinner shooting
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