Assassination attempt on Trump in Washington: What is known about the shooter and who he named as 'targets' in his manifesto
On April 25, 2026, during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, an assassination attempt was made on Donald Trump. Cole Thomas Allen, 31, a teacher and game developer from California, attempted to break into the hall with a gun and opened fire on Secret Service agents, according to reports. CNN. Before the attack, Allen sent a manifesto to his relatives, he writes New York Post.
On the evening of April 25, 2026, the White House Correspondents' Association held its annual gala dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. This traditional event brings together hundreds of journalists, celebrities, and politicians.
This time, the dinner was special: Donald Trump attended for the first time as president (he had ignored the event during his first term). He was joined by Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, members of the Cabinet, and approximately 2600 guests.
On the subject: A jury has convicted the man who attempted to kill Trump: the defendant attempted to kill himself right in the courtroom.
Around 20:34–20:36 PM local time, shots were fired at one of the security checkpoints. An armed man attempted to break through the metal detectors and security into the room where Trump was seated. The gunman opened fire on Secret Service agents. One of the shots struck an officer, but he was saved by his bulletproof vest.
Trump, Melania and other dignitaries were immediately evacuated by Secret Service agents.
During the shooting, guests hid in panic under tables.
The attacker was identified as Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California. He was apprehended near the stairs leading to the ballroom. Firearms—a shotgun and a pistol—as well as several knives were found on him. Investigators believe he acted alone.
Before the attack, Allen sent his family a detailed manifesto, over a thousand words long. In it, he sharply criticized the Trump administration's policies and explained in detail the reasons for his actions. The gunman called himself a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and directly targeted administration officials. Donald Trump later called him a "sick man."
Authorities believe the main targets of the attack were President Trump and his inner circle.
The day after the incident, investigators carefully examined Allen's manifesto, trying to understand what could have driven an ordinary teacher and video game developer to attempt the assassination.
"First of all, I want to apologize to everyone whose trust I betrayed," begins the manifesto that authorities say the suspect sent.
In it, Allen wrote, among other things: “I don’t expect forgiveness.”
Explaining his actions, he stated: "I am no longer prepared to allow a pedophile, rapist and traitor to dirty my hands with his crimes."
Furthermore, the suspect attempted to justify the attack from a Christian perspective: "Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christianity, but complicity in the crimes of the oppressor."
He concluded his message with the phrase: “I feel furious when I think about everything this administration has done.”
As the detainee's sister noted, as Allen became increasingly involved in leftist activism in Los Angeles, he began making increasingly radical statements, acquired a firearm, and began regularly training at a shooting range. In recent days, these conversations escalated into action. Allen took a train from Los Angeles, traveled via Chicago to Washington, and checked into the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the annual dinner featuring President Trump and other dignitaries was taking place.
He was carrying a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun.
Allen was quickly apprehended, acting Attorney General Todd Blanch said.
Authorities are currently continuing to study Allen's manifesto and his social media activity, which Trump described as "anti-Christian," and are also conducting interviews with his relatives.
"We're still trying to establish a motive. Preliminary reports indicate the suspect was targeting administration officials," Blanch said. The suspect has already been charged with two counts of using a firearm and one count of assaulting a federal officer with a weapon.
According to the acting attorney general, Allen is not cooperating with the investigation.
Until recently, the 31-year-old teacher led a fairly ordinary life. According to his LinkedIn profile, he attended the California Institute of Technology from 2013 to 2017, where he participated in a Christian student body and a Nerf club. In 2017, local media reported on him for developing a prototype emergency brake for wheelchairs. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.
After graduating, Allen worked as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test prep company. He was even named "Teacher of the Month" in December 2024. He also worked on video game development, releasing the indie game Bohrdom on Steam and working on a second project, tentatively titled First Law.
In recent years, according to his sister, he was actively involved in politics and joined the left-wing movement The Wide Awakes. In October 2024, Allen donated $25 to Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. Investigators determined that he legally acquired the weapons: the pistol on October 6, 2023, and the shotgun on August 17, 2025. Both purchases were made after mandatory background checks with the FBI.
After receiving the manifesto, Allen's brother immediately contacted the New London, Connecticut, police, and other relatives contacted law enforcement.
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A neighbor of the suspect, who wished to remain anonymous, noted that he rarely saw Allen, but he had been there just a couple of days ago. The suspect's father, he said, was a sociable and friendly man with whom the neighbors interacted frequently.
Interesting fact: it was at the Washington Hilton Hotel in 1981 that an assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan took place: John Hinckley Jr. shot him as he was leaving the hotel, and the president was seriously wounded.
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