Latest White House Correspondents’ Dinner: Cole Allen charged with attempted assassination of the president
Cole Allen, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night, appeared in court briefly on Monday to face charges, including attempted assassination of the president.
Allen (31 years old) entered, wearing a blue suit, and sat at the defense table. The Torrance, California, native faces three felony counts of attempted assassination of the President of the United States, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. This is the third assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
US Secret Service agents surround President Donald Trump as he is escorted from the stage after a shooting incident outside the auditorium during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, April 25, 2026, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
The first charge of attempting to assassinate the president carries a penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.
Allen did not enter a plea.
When Judge Matthew Sharbaugh asked Allen the routine series of questions of defendants charged in federal court, he nodded and answered easily: “Yes, your honor.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantyne said the government is seeking to keep Allen detained pending trial.
Law enforcement arrests a suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, in Washington, April 25, 2026.
@realDonaldTrump/social truth
Ballantine said Allen attempted to assassinate Trump using a 12-gauge shotgun, and said he also had a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol, three knives “and other dangerous tools.”
Attorney General Tezera Abiy indicated that the defense may seek to challenge the arrest, noting that he has no previous arrest record and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Charbaugh set a detention hearing for Thursday and ordered Allen temporarily detained until then. Allen’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 11.
D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Monday that the suspect’s intent was to take down as many people as possible High profile officials in the Council of Ministers as much as he can.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, and FBI Director Kash Patel hold a press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington on April 27, 2026.
ABC News
Allen appears to have shared social media posts criticizing Trump and his administration — including a call for Trump’s impeachment — on the social media platform Bluesky.
In addition to sharing posts condemning Trump’s policies — including war with Iran, increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, and scaling back U.S. support for Ukraine — Allen also appears to share posts criticizing a reporter in connection with the Correspondents’ Dinner. His account shared posts that described the attempt to shed light on press freedoms related to the event as “pathetic” and akin to a “white flag… [to] A wave in defeat.”
Cole Thomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, lies on the floor after being arrested by law enforcement, in Washington, April 25, 2026.
Bill Frischling/Cq Roll Call via Reuters
“Violence has no place in our public discourse, and we are committed to providing people with the platform and tools to engage in a healthy conversation,” a Bluesky spokesperson said.
“Our trust & “The Safety Team reviews and takes action against content that violates Bluesky’s community guidelines, including posts that amplify misinformation, or glorify violence or harm,” Bluesky said.
FBI officers leave the scene after responding to an address linked to Cole Thomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, on April 26, 2026, in Torrance, California.
William Lange/AP
Allen, a trained mechanical engineer who works as a teacher, was dealt with by law enforcement after the shooting inside the Washington Hilton Hotel, where thousands of journalists as well as Trump and members of his Cabinet had gathered for the annual event.
Trump said that a Secret Service member was shot during the incident, but the bullet hit the agent’s protective vest. The president said he spoke with the client and he was in good spirits.
Journalists attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner work after a news conference at the Washington Hilton following an incident that disrupted the event, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robert)
Associated Press
According to the criminal complaint, on April 6, Allen made a reservation at the Washington Hilton from Friday to Sunday.
Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago on Tuesday, and then from Chicago to D.C. on Thursday and Friday, according to the criminal complaint. He entered his room at the Hilton Hotel at 3 p.m. on Friday, the complaint said.
At approximately 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Allen approached a security checkpoint on the hotel’s balcony level, which leads to the ballroom, the complaint said. As Allen was walking past the magnetometer while holding a long gun, the Secret Service heard a “loud gunshot” and an officer was hit in the ballistic vest, the complaint said.
The same officer shot Allen multiple times. Allen fell to the ground but was not shot, the complaint said. Pirro said Allen “was not injured, except for a scrape on his knee.”
Allen purchased his handgun in 2023 and his rifle in 2025, the complaint said.
ABC News’ Lauren Minor, Luke Barr, Nicholas Kerr, Evan Pereira, Aaron Katirsky, Josh Margolin, John Santucci, Michelle Stoddart, Lucien Brueggemann, Oren Oppenheim, Katherine Faulders and Peter Charalambos contributed to this report.
