President calls Cole Allen ‘a sick guy’ who ‘hates Christians’ as officials say gunman targeted him

The suspect has been charged with firearms and assault charges, federal officials said.

He will be arraigned on Monday
The suspect who opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday was described by President Trump as a “sick guy” who “hates Christians” after his manifesto revealed he had targeted the president and his administration.

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, sent an anti-Trump manifesto to his family members moments before the shooting, calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin.”
Gunshots rang out inside the hotel shortly after 8:30pm, prompting scenes of panic as Secret Service agents rushed the president and other Cabinet officials out of the ballroom, while others took cover beneath tables.

The suspect shot and injured one law enforcement officer, before being detained near the hotel screening area, officials said.

Following the incident, the annual black-tie dinner was canceled, and Trump hosted a press conference at the White House shortly after 10:30pm, where he applauded law enforcement for their swift response.

Still dressed in his tuxedo from the dinner, Trump called the assailant a “thug” and a “lone wolf,” while Justice Department officials said the suspect has been charged with firearms and assault charges.

DOJ urges group to drop White House ballroom lawsuit
The letter claims last night’s shooting shows that the proposed ballroom is needed “for the safety and security of the President.”
“Put simply, your lawsuit puts the lives of the President, his family, and his staff at grave risk,” the department’s civil division head, Brett Shumate, wrote.

“I hope yesterday’s narrow miss will help you finally realize the folly of a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost.”
The history of violence against President Donald Trump
President Trump is no stranger to attacks on his life.

On Saturday night, he once again was forced to duck for cover and then quickly rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as shots rang out.

Coincidentally, the shooting took place at the hotel where, on March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr.

shot Ronald Reagan.

But Saturday night’s incident was not the first time there had been an attempt on Trump’s life.

Most notably, as he campaigned for re-election, someone shot the then-former president, an event which galvanized his base.

The president and his allies are now using the incident to make the case for Trump’s proposed ballroom in the White House.

But the shooting reveals that the president has faced unique threats regardless of where he goes.

Eric Garcia provides a breakdown each of the assassination attempts on the president:
Who is suspected shooter Cole Allen?

While the motive remains a question, the suspected shooter has been identified as 31-year-old California man Cole Tomas Allen.

Allen, a 2017 graduate of California Institute of Technology, was working as a teacher at the time of his arrest while also developing computer games.

In 2019, he registered the domain name “Bohrdom” for a game he created and released on Steam.

It is described as a “skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality.”
In 2025, he attained a master's degree in computer science from ‌California ⁠State University at Dominguez Hills in 2025.

While a student at Caltech, Allen was a member of the school’s Christian fellowship and the Nerf club.

He was featured in a 2017 photo that was posted by the school on Facebook following his graduation.

In that photo, he’s holding a picture of himself as a child with a stuffed rabbit.

In December 2024, a Facebook post from private tutoring service C2 Education named Allen as “Teacher of the Month.”
On his LinkedIn page, Allen described himself as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, ​independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.” He lists his ”Causes” on that profile as ”Science and Technology.”
Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris for president in 2024, according to federal campaign finance records.

Employer of suspected gunman says it is cooperating with authorities
Suspected gunman Cole Allen worked as a teacher with C2 Education's center in Torrance, California.

C2 Education, a tutoring company, said in a statement that it is cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate the attack.

“We were shocked to hear the news of the horrifying incident that transpired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner,” they said in a statement, according to CBS News.

”We are cooperating fully with law enforcement to assist them in their investigation.

Violence of any kind is never the answer.”
Allen was reportedly awarded “Teacher of the Month” in December 2024, according to a Facebook post, which has since been removed.

Top Trump figures at odds over future of Secret Service chief amid claims of lax security at dinner, report claims
New scrutiny is falling on the shoulders of the Secret Service and its chief, Sean Curran, after Saturday night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Publicly, members of the administration praised the Secret Service for agents’ quick response on Saturday after a suspected gunman charged the ballroom in the basement of the Washington Hilton, where hundreds of journalists and administration VIPs including the president and vice president were seated for the annual event.

No persons inside the ballroom were injured, and the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, was tackled before getting inside.

In private, however, Real Clear Politic s reports that seasoned security officials are raising alarms over the Secret Service and the agency’s ability to protect the president.

Numerous sources familiar with presidential security protocols bashed Saturday night’s security apparatus at the Hilton in comments to the publication, echoing some criticism leveled by attendees and politicians on social media after the event.

Top Trump figures at odds over future of Secret Service chief, report claims
‘Are we about to die?’: What Oz the Mentalist saw as he and Trump locked eyes on the ballroom floor
“I’ll never forget the image for my whole life,” Pearlman told CNN.

“We just look at each other for about two seconds, and my mind, obviously, this is like a huge adrenaline [rush], is just like, ‘Oh no, are we about to die?’” he remembers thinking.

‘Are we about to die?’: What Oz the Mentalist saw as he and Trump hid from attack
Buckingham Palace confirms King’s US visit is on
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles’ US visit will go on as planned, despite the incident at last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government, we can confirm the state visit by their majesties will proceed as planned,” a palace spokesperson said.

“The king and queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow.”
The decision comes several hours after security discussions were taking place earlier Sunday.

Trump to appear on ‘60 Minutes’ tonight
President Trump will appear on CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” according to White House communications director Steven Cheung, who posted on X.

“President Trump sits down with 60 Minutes to discuss what happened at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night,” he wrote.

Where is the suspected gunman now?

Cole Allen, the suspect gunman, is being held at a Metropolitan Police Department station in Northwest Washington, D.C., law enforcement sources told CBS News.

Allen is expected to be transferred later today to a detention facility in Southeast D.C.

He will then be transported by the U.S.

Marshals Service to federal court Monday where he is set to be arraigned, according to Justice Department officials.

Trump targeted by ‘sick’ shooter who called himself the ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’
Trump escaped his third suspected assassination attempt unhurt after a gunman calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” opened fire during the prestigious White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

The US President and members of his administration are believed to have been the targets of Saturday night’s attack, Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

The suspect, teacher and California Institute of Technology graduate Cole Tomas Allen, 31, stormed security in the lobby of the Washington Hilton armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.

In a manifesto sent to family minutes earlier, Allen allegedly revealed he was trying to kill Trump administration officials, a US official told the New York Post.

Trump said Allen was “a very troubled guy” who “hates Christians” after details of the manifesto emerged.

But he insisted the shooting would not impact King Charles’ state visit, which will go ahead, saying: “He’s a great guy, and we look forward to it.

He’s really a fantastic person and a tremendous representative, and he’s brave.

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