Washington (United States) (AFP) – A man accused of trying to open fire on a media gala attended by Donald Trump in Washington this weekend was charged in court Monday with trying to assassinate the Republican president. Cole Allen, 31, faces a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted of attempting to kill Trump during the White House Correspondents Association dinner at a hotel in the capital. Allen, who wore a blue jumpsuit, was also charged with two firearms crimes. He did not enter a plea at the hearing in a federal court and was detained, pending his next court appearance.
Prosecutors told the Washington court that Allen was carrying a pump-action shotgun, a semi-automatic pistol, and three knives when he tried to break through security at the Hilton, where the annual WHCA dinner has taken place for decades. Several shots were fired before Allen was subdued in a chaotic encounter near a checkpoint. Allen never got close to Trump or the other guests attending the large-scale dinner event on a lower floor. The California man’s attack was the third attempt on 79-year-old Trump’s life in two years. The White House has blamed a “left-wing cult of hatred” for inciting violence, singling out Democratic politicians who have accused Trump of trying to amass authoritarian powers. Trump himself routinely breaks precedent with insults against opponents, the media, judges, foreign leaders, and the head of the central bank.
On Saturday, Trump was rushed out of the venue by Secret Service agents after the sound of gunshots erupted. Video footage showed the gunman sprinting past a first line of security. No one was killed, but a bullet struck one agent’s bulletproof vest, officials say. In a CBS interview on Sunday evening, Trump was asked if he feared there would be casualties as Washington’s government and media elite ducked for cover at the black-tie dinner downstairs. “I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Trump said. Crowded into the venue were Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, several cabinet members and top lawmakers, and hundreds of guests.
Authorities say that shortly before the incident, Allen sent an email to family members explaining and apologizing for his actions. He did not mention Trump by name, but said, “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” Allen went on to say that “administration officials” are “targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.”
On Monday, Trump called for comedian Jimmy Kimmel to be fired for saying his 56-year-old wife Melania Trump had “a glow like an expectant widow” in a joke made a couple of days before Saturday’s incident. Trump called the joke “despicable.” The First Lady also lashed out at Kimmel, calling on US broadcaster ABC to “take a stand” against the late-night host. Trump has praised the actions of Secret Service agents but also said the hotel venue was “not a particularly secure” facility as questions swirled about the president’s safety protocols.
On Sunday, Trump used the shooting to again push for the construction of a massive ballroom next to the White House. The project faces legal challenges and has sparked widespread public criticism for being too big and lacking consultation. The White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinners—a private, not government, event—have been hosted at the Hilton hotel for decades without incident. The association always invites sitting presidents to attend, but Saturday was the first time Trump had accepted.
Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. A gunman fired several shots, killing an audience member and lightly wounding the president in the ear. A few months later, another armed man was arrested on a West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing a round.
© 2024 AFP
