Cole Allen faces federal charges over alleged Trump assassination attempt
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 3
Cole Allen faces federal charges over alleged Trump assassination attempt
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 3
Jeanine Pirro said Allen faces three counts after last Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, including attempted assassination of a president and firearms offences.
She said investigators and the FBI are examining his digital footprint, motives and planning, describing him as heavily armed, calculating and prepared to kill others to reach Trump.
Earlier reports said a Secret Service agent was struck in the vest by a shotgun pellet and Allen, 31, allegedly targeted Trump, intensifying concerns over political violence and security.
After a third assassination attempt, are current VIP security protocols fundamentally flawed for modern threats?
With history repeating at the Hilton, are public hotels truly securable for presidential events?
How does a highly educated teacher become a lone-wolf attacker in the modern digital age?
Failed Assassination of President Trump at White House Correspondents' Dinner: Investigation and Aftermath
Overview
On April 25, 2026, Cole Thomas Allen, radicalized and armed with multiple weapons smuggled into the Washington Hilton, attacked the White House Correspondents' Dinner by firing a shotgun near a security checkpoint located too close to the event. Despite a Secret Service officer returning fire and being wounded but protected by a vest, Allen was subdued and arrested. Prior to the attack, Allen sent a manifesto expressing rage against the Trump administration, which prompted his brother to alert police, but intelligence sharing failures prevented intervention. The FBI launched a thorough investigation, and Allen faces serious federal charges. The attack, the third against President Trump in two years, sparked polarized reactions and renewed debates on security and gun control.