Correspondents' dinner suspect charged with trying to assassinate Trump

Updated on: April 27, 2026 / 3:50 PM EDT / CBS News
What to know today about the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting:
Little known about suspect's motivation beyond manifesto, Blanche says
Blanche said they have little understanding of the suspect's motivation beyond what they described as his manifesto .

"That's what we have so far, as far as his motivation," Blanche said.

"He was targeting President Trump.

He described that in his manifesto.

He was targeting administration officials.

He described that.

But as far as understanding additional motivation, that's for the FBI and law enforcement," he added.

Blanche says investigators "still looking" at who fired round that hit Secret Service agent
A reporter asked Blanche if investigators have been able to determine whether the gunman fired the shot that hit a Secret Service agent in his bulletproof vest.

"We want to get that right, so we're still looking at that," Blanche said.

"It appears, and I don't want to overstate, because we are still looking at this, that there were five shots that law enforcement fired.

All the evidence is being examined very carefully and expeditiously, and we'll know more soon.

We do believe that, as the complaint lays out, that the suspect, that the defendant fired out of his shotgun, and we know that that happened.

But as far as getting into exacting ballistics, I'm not going to do that today because it's still being looked at and finalized."
The FBI affidavit says Allen fired his weapon but does not specify that it was his round that struck the agent.

The agent also fired "multiple times," according to the affidavit.

Blanche said investigators believe the five shots fired by law enforcement came from the same gun, not multiple officers.

"We believe right now that there were five shots fired from the same firearm," Blanche said, emphasizing that evidence is still being analyzed.

"We are ready" to prevent future incidents, Blanche says
Blanche, defending the federal law enforcement response, said "we are ready" to prevent incidents in the future.

Blanche blamed inflammatory and violent rhetoric, and said the media is partly to blame.

"This was something that we will always be prepared for," Blanche said.

"And it's sad that it has to happen, but it's not a new thing, unfortunately."
Blanche says investigators have seized "multiple devices from various locations"
Patel says the shooting "hits a little differently," details FBI probe
FBI Director Kash Patel, speaking at the Justice Department press conference, said this incident "hits a little differently."
"We were all there.

Many of you were there," he said.

Patel said the FBI acted with the urgency that was needed in the moment, outlining steps the bureau took to investigate the suspect soon after the shooting.

When the incident occurred Saturday night, the FBI's Washington field office sent a mobile command center to the scene to collect evidence, he said.

Casings and other evidence were sent to the FBI's lab in Quantico to be analyzed.

The FBI has interviewed many witnesses and has been "sifting through and prioritizing who to talk to," Patel said.

In the hours after the shooting, the FBI collected and transported evidence from across the country, he said.

He also insisted that the federal law enforcement on the scene, such as the Secret Service, did their job.

"They did exactly what they were trained to do," Patel said.

Pirro says additional charges still expected
Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington, said there will be additional charges against Allen as the investigation continues.

"Make no mistake, this was an attempted assassination of the president of the United States, with the defendant making clear what his intent was," Pirro said.

"And that intent was to bring down as many of the high-ranking Cabinet officials as he could."
She said Allen's "journey of accountability in the criminal justice system starts today."
Pirro also detailed the weapons the suspect allegedly had at the time of the attack, saying "any suggestion that he wasn't there to do harm is absurd."
Blanche says law enforcement "did not fail" Saturday night
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in a press conference at the Justice Department, emphasized that law enforcement officers did their job.

"I want to make this clear — this man was a floor above the ballroom with hundreds of federal agents between him and the president of the United States," Blanche said.

Blanche said "violence has no place in civic life."
"We are investigating this matter fully," Blanche said.

"We will apply the law fairly and we will ensure that accountability is swift and certain.

But we also should recognize what should not happen.

Law enforcement did not fail."
Blanche said the investigation so far has entailed search warrants in California and Washington, D.C., as well as many interviews.

The investigation is ongoing, Blanche said.

He detailed the timeline of the incident laid out in the FBI affidavit unveiled shortly before the press conference began.

Prosecutors unveil charging documents, with new details of investigation
Federal prosecutors in D.C.

unveiled the documents charging Allen with three crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president.

A seven-page affidavit by an FBI agent reveals new details of the shooting and the investigation.

The affidavit says Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then Washington between April 21 and 24.

He checked into the Hilton the same day he arrived in the capital, according to the affidavit.

The charging document details the timeline of the shooting.

"At approximately 8:40 p.m., ALLEN approached a security checkpoint on the Terrace Level of the hotel leading to the location of the dinner.

ALLEN approached and ran through the magnetometer holding a long gun.

As he did so, U.S.

Secret Service personnel assigned to the checkpoint heard a loud gunshot.

U.S.

Secret Service Officer V.G.

was shot once in the chest; Officer V.G.

was wearing a ballistic vest at the time," the affidavit says.

The FBI agent wrote that Officer V.G.

"drew his service weapon and fired multiple times at ALLEN, who fell to the ground and suffered minor injuries but was not shot.

ALLEN was subsequently arrested."
The document says Allen had a "12-gauge pump action shotgun and a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol on his person."
According to database records cited in the charging documents, Allen purchased the 12-gauge pump action shotgun on or about Aug.

17, 2025, from a firearm dealer in California, and the .38 caliber pistol from a firearm dealer in a different California city on or about Oct.

6, 2023.

Allen doesn't enter plea, will return to court Thursday
Allen will remain in federal detention through at least Thursday, when he has his next court appearance.

There will be a detention hearing at 11 a.m.

in front of another magistrate judge in D.C.

He did not enter a plea in Monday's hearing.

Federal prosecutors said that Allen traveled across "multiple state lines" with firearms in an attempt to assassinate Mr.

Trump.

"We are asking the court to preventatively detain Mr.

Allen," prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine said, adding that Allen brought with him a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, a .38 semi-auto caliber pistol and three knives.

A preliminary hearing was also scheduled for May 11.

Tezira Abe, Allen's court-appointed attorney, agreed with the Justice Department's hearing schedule.

Allen charged with trying to assassinate Trump
Allen's initial court appearance is underway.

He is appearing before Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh in the federal courthouse in Washington.

Sharbaugh ordered the documents in the case to be unsealed.

Allen faces three charges:
Allen is wearing a bright blue jumpsuit, with two officers from the U.S.

Marshals Service behind him.

He asked the court to appoint a lawyer for him.

Nonprofit won't drop White House ballroom lawsuit despite DOJ letter
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization suing the administration to stop construction of the president's planned White House ballroom, says it will continue to pursue its lawsuit.

The case is currently before the D.C.

Circuit Court of Appeals.

A lower court judge stopped construction, but the appellate court has temporarily allowed it to continue until early June.

"When the White House ballroom is complete, President Trump and his successors will no longer need to venture beyond the safety of the White House perimeter to attend large gatherings at the Washington Hilton ballroom," DOJ attorney Brett Shumate wrote.

"The White House ballroom will ensure the safety and security of the President for decades to come and prevent future assassination attempts on the President at the Washington Hilton."
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the trust, responded Monday that the group is "grateful to the Secret Service and DC law enforcement officers for keeping the President and all guests safe at this weekend's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner," but it is not planning to "voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit."
Leavitt confirms top law enforcement officials will meet to discuss Trump's security
Leavitt confirmed that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles will meet with top federal law enforcement officials to discuss considerations for the president's security at "major events" moving forward.

"As you heard from the president himself, he continues to have trust in the United States Secret Service, as I just said," Leavitt said.

"With that said, obviously, the White House is always asking the tough questions and ensuring the safety of the president."
She continued: "I understand there will be a meeting early this week convened by the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, with top DHS leadership, members of the United States Secret Service and our own operations team here to ensure the safety and the security of the president as we do have many of these major events moving forward."
Leavitt said the administration is "always monitoring operations and procedures, always asking the tough questions to ensure the president is safe, and the American people should be assured there is no higher priority for the president and his staff than the president's safety."
Asked if the administration views the shooting as a security failure, Leavitt said the president has said he believes the protocols worked.

"Secret Service did their jobs well," she said.

Asked if three attempts on his life in recent years will change the types of events the president goes to, Leavitt said, "Well again, that's going to be part of the conversations moving forward.

But as you heard from President Trump, he does not want these deranged lunatics and these grave acts of political violence to change our American way of life."
Leavitt links shooting to top Democrats' rhetoric
Leavitt linked the shooting to comments about the president by some top Democratic officials, arguing their criticism of Mr.

Trump has crossed the line into encouraging violence.

"The entire Democrat Party has made their pitch to voters across the country that Donald Trump poses an existential threat to democracy, that he is a fascist and they compare him to Hitler.

I mean, these are despicable statements that the American people have been consuming for years.

And so many mentally perturbed individuals are led to believe these words are true, and then are inspired to act on it," Leavitt said.

Leavitt said she had "pages and pages" of remarks by "major Democrat Party elected officials," including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Gov.

Josh Shapiro, Sen.

Alex Padilla, Sen.

Elizabeth Warren, Sen.

Adam Schiff and others.

"When you have people in positions of power that are saying things like this, every single day for years, you are inspiring violence by people who are already mentally ill," she said.

"And that's what we've seen against this president for far too long."
Leavitt calls for end of "shameful" DHS shutdown
Republicans on Capitol Hill are proceeding with a two-track strategy to get the department funded over the objections of Democrats, who oppose providing more money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement without reforms to their operations.

Leavitt, at press briefing, says "nobody in recent years has faced more bullets" than Trump
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, whose last day before maternity leave was supposed to be last week, said she "felt it was prudent" to brief the press after Saturday night's shooting and take questions.

"Saturday was supposed to be a joyful evening, celebrating free speech and the First Amendment with all of you, members of the press," she said.

"Instead, the night was hijacked by a crazed, anti-Trump individual who traveled across the country to assassinate the president and as many administration officials as possible.

This is the third major assassination against President Trump in two years.

No other president in history has faced such repeated, serious attempts on his life."
"While we are blessed to have a fearless president, we should not live in a country where such constant fear of political violence permeates our society every single day," she added.

"Nobody in recent years has faced more bullets and more violence than President Trump," Leavitt said.

Speaker Mike Johnson says shooting was "surreal," calls for White House ballroom
At the Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson described Saturday night's shooting as a "surreal experience," recounting how his security detail rushed him out of the ballroom within seconds.

Johnson told CBS News' Nikole Killion that he "didn't even hear the gunshots" before agents "grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me out the closest door." He said his wife was escorted out separately and met him moments later.

"It was a scary experience for everybody there," he added.

Speaker Johnson just now to @NikolenDC describes his experience during the Correspondents’ Dinner shooting: “Saturday night was a surreal experience.

I mentioned in an interview a little while ago that the President's now had three failed assassination attempts.

I happened to be… pic.twitter.com/o5RmSk6hTA — Patrick Maguire (@patrickjmaguire) April 27, 2026
Johnson praised law enforcement's response but said officials will "have to reevaluate this," adding that "we do need to look at security measures" given the number of high-ranking officials in attendance.

He also called for the construction of the White House ballroom: "The president's right about that.

We need a facility that is secure enough to host events like this without having major national security concerns."
Johnson also tied the shooting to the fight over DHS funding, arguing that "it's very dangerous" to delay reopening the department.

Blanche, Patel, Pirro to hold press conference to announce charges
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S.

Attorney for D.C.

Jeanine Pirro will hold a press conference following Allen's initial appearance in federal court to announce the charges against him, the Justice Department announced.

The press conference will take place at 3 p.m., according to the department.

Lawmakers seek briefings with Secret Service in wake of shooting
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have requested briefings with the Secret Service in the wake of the shooting, with one committee set to hear from the agency soon.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a briefing with the Secret Service, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The office of GOP Sen.

Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the committee's chairman, has arranged a bipartisan briefing for Grassley and Sen.

Dick Durbin of Illinois, the panel's top Democrat, regarding security protocols and related law enforcement matters involving the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Grassley did not attend the dinner.

"As law enforcement investigations continue, I urge my colleagues in Congress to come together to fund DHS so its personnel have the resources to succeed in their no-fail missions, especially ahead of the World Cup," Garbarino wrote.

Rep.

James Comer, the Oversight Committee chairman, also noted that DHS, which oversees the Secret Service, remains shut down.

"DHS, including Secret Service, has been unfunded for more than 70 days now.

It's time to stop the games & fund DHS," Comer wrote on X .

Where top officials were seated at the dinner
This seating chart compiled by CBS News shows where top officials were seated at the White House Correspondents' Dinner before shots were fired outside the ballroom.

Click on the colored dots for photos and more details:
Analyst perplexed by security at White House Correspondents' Dinner, says ID "not checked at any point"
Questions are swirling about security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner following Saturday's shooting, including about the Secret Service's performance and protocols at the Washington Hilton.

"I was perplexed even before the incident about what I saw in security," Aaron MacLean, a CBS News national security analyst and military veteran, told "CBS Mornings" in an interview on Monday.

MacLean attended the dinner for the first time this year and said his ID was not checked "at any point in the evening."
"To get into the hotel all I had to do was show a screenshot of an invitation," he said.

MacLean said he thinks the attack renews questions over training and procedures for the Secret Service.

"You can't just look at something like this and pat yourself on the back that this unserious person didn't succeed," he said.

King Charles and Queen Camilla set to arrive at the White House today
King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to the U.S.

to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is still set to start Monday, when they will arrive at the White House.

Buckingham Palace said the king "is greatly relieved to hear that the president, first lady and all guests have been unharmed." After a security review, the palace said the trip "will proceed as planned."
The king and queen are scheduled to arrive at the White House at 4:15 p.m.

for tea and a tour of the White House's beehive operation.

First lady Melania Trump unveiled a new White House-shaped beehive on the South Lawn last week.

Suspect set to appear in federal court
Cole Allen, 31, will appear in federal court in Washington on Monday.

U.S.

Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Saturday night that Allen will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, and predicted he will face more charges.

Allen was a guest at the Hilton.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that he was seen on security footage leaving a 10th floor room dressed in black and carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives packed inside a black bag.

Senior law enforcement sources said Allen used an interior stairwell to run down approximately 10 flights, bypassing heavily monitored public areas of the hotel.

The suspect then emerged onto the terrace level — the same level as the foyer leading to the event's red carpet — just yards from a primary access point to the ballroom where the high-profile dinner was underway.

There, he broke into a sprint.

It was then that Secret Service Uniformed Division officers confronted and tackled the suspect moments after he emerged.

As part of standard protocol, officers immediately removed the suspect's dark clothing and searched his bag to ensure he was not carrying or wearing additional weapons or explosive devices.

Trump stands by Secret Service; Susie Wiles to convene meeting to assess security protocols
A senior White House official tells CBS News that Mr.

Trump is standing by the U.S.

Secret Service following an attempted shooting, praising agents for their response while ordering a review of security procedures ahead of upcoming events.

The official said Mr.

Trump believes the Secret Service "did an excellent job" neutralizing the shooter and moving the president, first lady, vice president and Cabinet members to safety.

The review will examine what worked in stopping Saturday's attack and explore additional measures to strengthen security as Mr.

Trump prepares for a series of high-profile appearances tied to upcoming national events, including the planned America 250 celebrations.

Leavitt to hold press briefing Monday afternoon
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that she will be holding a briefing on Monday at 1 p.m.

Leavitt was sitting on stage Saturday night next to Melania Trump, where mentalist Oz Pearlman had just performed a trick, saying he knew the name of Leavitt's unborn child.

He had written the baby name on a piece of paper and passed it to Leavitt when gunshots rang out.

IDs were not needed for entry to dinner
Identification did not need to be presented in order to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

CBS News' Matt Gutman reports that only a ticket was needed to go through magnetometers and get into the ballroom where the dinner was taking place.

"Nowhere in the hotel was an ID necessary," Gutman reported.

CBS News national security analyst Aaron MacLean said all he had to do to get into the hotel was show a screenshot of an invitation to the dinner, and that his ID was not checked at any point during the evening.

He said he was "perplexed" even before the attack about what he saw regarding security.

Inside the room where the dinner was taking place, "security was not particularly close to the principals, visibly."
"The Secret Service agents who were visible were not very close to the president," he said, noting there were more people behind a nearby curtain, but that "it took them time to react."
"Once the incident happened it was a full two minutes or so before anyone came to get" Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he said.

The Secret Service insists that the ballroom itself was secure, which is why they say they kept the president there.

Trump tells "60 Minutes": "I wasn't worried"
CBS News' Norah O'Donnell spoke to Mr.

Trump on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the shooting.

"I wasn't worried.

I understand life.

We live in a crazy world," Mr.

Trump said.

Mr.

Trump was seated next to CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang, who is the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, as well as first lady Melania Trump.

When the shots rang out, the first lady looked alarmed.

When asked if she was scared, Mr.

Trump said, "Well, I don't want to say, and people don't like having it said that they were scared."
"But certainly, I mean, who wouldn't be when you have a situation like that?" he continued.

"By that time I think she realized ahead of time that that was more of a bullet than it was a tray.

And she was — I — I looked at her face just a little while ago before I came.

I saw the scene.

They played it for me and, you know, pretty good closeup.

And she looked very upset about what just took place, you know?

Why not?"
Mr.

Trump called the suspect "a sick person" and said he had read his manifesto, which he said showed that the suspect was "radicalized."
Read the full transcript of the interview here.