Washington (United States) (AFP) – A California man charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump at a White House press gala last month pleaded not guilty on Monday. Cole Allen, 31, entered the not guilty plea during an appearance before Judge Trevor McFadden in a federal district court in the nation’s capital. Allen appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. McFadden scheduled a status conference on the case to be held on June 29.
Allen faces four charges in connection with the April 25 attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner at a downtown Washington hotel and potentially faces life in prison if convicted. He is charged with attempting to assassinate the president, transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assaulting a federal officer.
Allen’s attorneys are seeking to have acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, removed from the case because they were guests at the WHCA dinner. According to prosecutors, Allen, a highly-educated teacher and engineer, traveled from his home in California to Washington by train carrying an arsenal that included a shotgun, a handgun, and numerous knives.
Allen never got close to Trump or the other guests attending the White House press dinner on a lower floor. The president, Vice President JD Vance, and other government officials were rushed out of the venue by security officers after gunshots were heard. Allen was tackled and arrested by law enforcement almost immediately after charging through a security checkpoint and firing a single shot, which allegedly struck a Secret Service agent in the chest, wounding him slightly. The agent, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, fired multiple times at Allen but did not hit him.
The annual dinner draws Washington journalists, administration officials, celebrities, and entertainers. Trump has traditionally boycotted the event but decided to attend this year. It was the third alleged assassination attempt against the 79-year-old Trump in less than two years. 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 nicking 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
