Accused shooter was targeting Trump and US officials, authorities say | Donald Trump News
Gunman Targeted Trump at Correspondents’ Dinner, Authorities Say
Published April 26, 2026
By Al Jazeera Staff
Authorities in the United States are investigating a gunman accused of attempting to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, reportedly targeting President Donald Trump and members of his administration. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the suspect’s intentions during a press conference on Sunday.
Blanche stated that the gunman traveled from California to Washington, D.C., making the journey by train through Chicago.
Shots were fired on Saturday evening near the ballroom venue where the dinner was taking place, prompting a swift response from Secret Service agents, who subdued the suspect. The event was attended by Trump, high-ranking government officials, and hundreds of journalists.
While investigators have not officially released the suspect’s name, multiple media outlets have identified him as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California.
In a statement to Fox News, President Trump mentioned that the suspect’s family had raised concerns about his mental state with local police prior to the incident. He also noted that Allen had authored an anti-Christian manifesto.
“The guy is a sick guy,” Trump said in the interview. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians.”
Initial examinations of the suspect’s electronic devices and writings suggest he intended to target administration officials present at the dinner. Blanche remarked, “It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president.”
The suspect reportedly purchased the two firearms he carried to the event within the past two years. According to Blanche, he has not cooperated with law enforcement and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Social media profiles matching the suspect depict him as a well-educated tutor and amateur video game developer with multiple degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering.
Video footage shared by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents pursued him. One officer was shot but is recovering, according to officials. The suspect was taken into custody without injury but was transported to a hospital for evaluation.
In response to the incident, law enforcement officials, including members of the National Guard, secured the area while helicopters circled overhead.
Trump leveraged the incident to advocate for the construction of a large, secure ballroom adjacent to the White House, a project that has faced legal hurdles and lacks broad public support.
“What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement, and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
The proposed $400 million ballroom has become an important project for Trump during his second term. Following this incident, he expressed a desire for unity and bipartisan healing in what he characterized as a third attempt on his life in less than two years.
