President Donald Trump has reacted angrily after being asked about White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen’s alleged manifesto, which sharply criticized his administration.
The president called CBS News journalist Norah O’Donnell “disgraceful” for quoting segments of the text during a 60 Minutes interview Sunday.
Officials say Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, sent the anti-Trump manifesto to his family members moments before his attempted attack, referring to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin.”
“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” he had written.
Asked about the manifesto, Trump hit back: “I’m not a pedophile... I’m not a rapist”.
Gunshots were fired inside the Washington Hilton shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday night with the black tie press gala underway, prompting panic as Secret Service agents rushed the president and other cabinet officials out of the ballroom while guests took cover under tables.
The suspect shot and injured one law enforcement officer, before being detained near the hotel screening area, officials said.
Allen faces firearms and assault charges and is set to be arraigned Monday. He is reportedly not cooperating with authorities.
Key Points
- Donald Trump lashes out at CBS News for quoting from suspect’s manifesto
- Trump calls suspect in press dinner attack 'pretty sick guy' whose views alarmed relatives
- Suspect Cole Tomas Allen sent anti-Trump manifesto to family before opening fire
- King and Queen reach out to president after shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
- Trump makes fresh case for controversial $400 million ballroom after shooting
Recap: Suspect due in court after storming White House Correspondents’ Dinner
08:40 , Joe SommerladGood morning and welcome to The Independent’s U.S. politics liveblog.
If you’re just joining us, here’s a reminder of our top story:
- A suspected gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel at 8.30pm Saturday night, with shots fired before he was apprehended by the Secret Service.
- President Donald Trump was in attendance with his wife Melania and several cabinet officials, all of whom were swiftly removed from the venue by security for their own protection and were unharmed.
- Trump, who is believed to have been the would-be assassin’s target, had intended to address the nation’s top political journalists at the black tie gala, which will now be restaged.
- A planned visit by King Charles is going ahead as planned Monday with minor revisions made to the monarch’s schedule.
- A Secret Service agent was shot during the melee with the suspect but was protected from serious injury by their bulletproof vest. They have since been discharged from hospital.
- The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old computer programmer and tutor from Torrance, California, had multiple weapons about his person when he was stopped and an anti-Trump manifesto has since been recovered by investigators.
- He will be arraigned in federal court Monday on firearms and assault charges but has so far reportedly refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
Turkey's Erdogan offers support to Trump in call after gala dinner shooting
08:07 , Namita SinghTurkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his support for US president Donald Trump in a phone call following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, the Turkish presidency said late on Sunday.
"Erdogan said he saw the incident as a heinous act against democracy and press freedom," the presidency said in a statement on X.
Earlier, Erdogan had condemned the incident in a separate statement on X, saying he was happy that Trump and first lady Melania Trump were unharmed.
Trump lashes out at CBS News for quoting from suspect’s manifesto
07:40 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump lashed out at CBS News yesterday, calling it “disgraceful” for quoting from the suspect's manifesto on 60 Minutes on Sunday.
Shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, is alleged to have sent an anti-Trump manifesto to his family members moments before the shooting, calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin”.
“I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” the letter read.
Mr Trump took issue with the CBS News interviewer for bringing up the manifesto, before declaring: “I’m not a paedophile” and “I’m not a rapist”.
Video: Trump says King Charles will be 'very safe' on his US state visit
07:31 , Namita SinghChaotic scene unfolded minutes after gala began
07:30 , Namita SinghThe shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds.
Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
"Out of the way, sir!" someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a "God Bless America" chant began as the president was escorted offstage.
Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
Donald Trump was unusually conciliatory after what he saw as a third attempt on his life in less than two years. He suggested that his personal politics had made him a repeated target, but he also called for unity and bipartisan healing in an increasingly violent world.
"It's always shocking when something like this happens. Happened to me, a little bit. And that never changes," Trump told reporters in a hastily organized news conference at the White House late on Saturday.
Video: Trump says he 'wasn't making it any easier' for Secret Service during WHCD shooting
07:17 , Namita SinghActing head of Justice Department says Trump officials were targets
06:24 , Namita SinghShooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen is believed to have traveled by train from California to Chicago and then onto Washington, where he checked himself in as a guest at the hotel where the gala dinner was held with its typically tight security, said acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. He is believed to have acted alone and is set to face criminal charges on Monday.
Authorities say Allen attempted to charge toward the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a violent scene that resulted in shots being fired, US president Donald Trump being hurried off the stage unharmed and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
"It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president," Blanche told NBC.
Suspect's brother reached out to Connecticut police
06:17 , Namita SinghSuspect Cole Tomas Allen's brother contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving the writings, according to the law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The New London Police Department said in a statement it was contacted at 10.49pm, about two hours after the shooting, by an individual who wanted to share information related to it. The police department said it then immediately notified federal law enforcement.
Allen's sister, who lives in Maryland, told investigators her brother had legally purchased several weapons from a California gun store and kept them at their parents' home in Torrance without their knowledge, according to the official.
She described her brother as prone to making radical statements, the official said.
Allen legally bought a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun two years later, according to the law enforcement official and another one who also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
DC gala shooting suspect aired grievances against Trump in writings to family
06:13 , Namita SinghThe man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner railed against Donald Trump administration policies and referred to himself as a "Friendly Federal Assassin" in writings sent to family members minutes before an attack that authorities increasingly believe was politically motivated, according to a message reviewed by The Associated Press.
The writings, sent shortly before shots were fired on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton, made repeated references to president Donald Trump without naming him directly and alluded to grievances over a range of administration actions, including US strikes on boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Investigators are treating the writings, along with a trail of social media posts and interviews with family members, as some of the clearest evidence yet of the suspect's mindset and possible motives.
Authorities uncovered what one law enforcement official described as numerous anti-Trump social media posts linked to the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California man accused of trying to breach a security checkpoint at the dinner while armed with multiple guns and knives.
Suspect armed with handgun, shotgun and multiple knives
05:52 , Namita SinghWashington Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.
Allen had purchased two handguns and a shotgun and stored them at his parents' home, the White House official said.
The suspect lived with his parents in a two-story house on a tree-lined street with picket fences and craftsman-style homes in the historic district of Torrance, a seaside town in the South Bay area of greater Los Angeles.
Neighbors in the middle-class neighborhood on Sunday said they were only casually acquainted with him and his parents, with most saying they never spoke to him beyond a brief hello or waving to them as they gave Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters.
Suspect Cole Allen sent anti-Trump manifesto to family before opening fire
05:44 , Namita SinghThe suspected shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner sent a manifesto critical of President Donald Trump to his family before he allegedly opened fire at the Washington Hilton, The New York Post reports.
Authorities identified the shooter as 31-year-old Cole Allen, a teacher from Torrance, California. Allen’s brother notified police in the New London, Connecticut, police department. Allen’s document was signed “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen”.
The Post reported that the manifesto showed that Allen allegedly wanted to kill officials from the Trump administration.
More here:
White House Correspondents’ Dinner suspect sent anti-Trump manifesto to family
Most Americans believe political rhetoric is encouraging violence
05:24 , Namita SinghConservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a rally last September, just months after the June 2025 slaying of Democratic Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and the wounding of a Minnesota state senator.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the days following Kirk's murder found Americans believe increasingly harsh rhetoric surrounding politics is encouraging violence in the US.
A White House official said law enforcement officials who interviewed suspect Cole Tomas Allen's sister were told he had a tendency to make radical statements, had attended an anti-Trump “No Kings” protest and referred to a plan to do "something" to fix issues with today's world.
Video: Trump says 'NFL should hire' WHCD shooting suspect
05:22 , Namita SinghWhat happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
05:22 , Namita SinghOfficials have said the suspect fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested.
Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, vice president JD Vance and Cabinet officials were rushed out as the incident unfolded. The Secret Service agent who was shot escaped serious injury because the bullet struck his protective vest, Trump said.
Trump, who had boycotted the media gala in the past, has requested that the dinner be rescheduled within 30 days. White House Correspondents' Association President Weijia Jiang of CBS said the group's board would determine their next steps.
The suspect will be charged in federal court on Monday with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said, adding he did not know if there was an Iran connection to the attack.
Further federal indictments will be coming later, Blanche said.
Video: Trump makes fresh case for controversial $400 million ballroom after WHCD shooting
05:18 , Namita SinghWhy Trump, MAGA and Fetterman say correspondents’ dinner shooting seals the deal for $400M White House ballroom
05:01 , Namita SinghThe president of the United States, his MAGA allies, and even a Senate Democrat pressed the case for his $400 million White House ballroom construction in the hours after a shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner left nearly the entire Cabinet and DC press corps ducking for cover minutes into the event.
For months, the construction of President Donald Trump’s desired White House ballroom has made headlines and even seemed to consume the president’s attention during unrelated events, where Trump will often go on diatribes about the construction process or building plans. A federal judge halted the project earlier this month, while allowing construction of a secure bunker on the White House complex to continue.
Trump had the residence’s iconic East Wing demolished without warning to make room for the structure.
More here:
MAGA lawmaker introducing legislation to pave way for Trump’s ballroom
05:00 , Namita SinghRepublican lawmakers plan to turn President Donald Trump’s call to create his ballroom after the shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening into legislation.
Sen. Tim Sheehy, a freshman from Montana, said that this week, he will request unanimous consent for legislation to express support for the creation of the ballroom in the East Wing of the White House.
“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nation’s capital, including ones attended by our President, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy said.
Report:
MAGA lawmaker introducing legislation to pave way for Trump’s ballroom
Ex-volleyball teammate describes experience with Cole Tomas Allen
05:00 , Josh MarcusWhite House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen was “super stable” and didn’t seem like someone who would commit violence, according to his former high school volleyball teammate.
“He was probably the most gentle person on the team, which makes it even more shocking that he did this,” the ex-teammate told NBC News.
He added that Allen was “really, really smart.”
“Other people study hard,” the teammate said. “He didn’t have to study. It would just come to him.”
Trump calls suspect in press dinner attack 'pretty sick guy' whose views alarmed relatives
04:22 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump said that the suspect accused of trying to attack administration officials at a black-tie gala on Saturday night was a "pretty sick guy" who had been flagged to law enforcement by family members.
Trump said in TV interviews that the suspect, whom an official identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, California, had posted what Trump described as an "anti-Christian" manifesto.
"He was a Christian, believer, and then he became an anti-Christian, and he had a lot of change," Trump told CBS News. "He was probably a pretty sick guy."
In the manifesto, Allen calls himself the "Friendly Federal Assassin" and said he planned to attack Trump administration officials, prioritizing them from highest-ranking to lowest but excluding FBI Director Kash Patel, a law enforcement official told Reuters.
Allen cited Christian theology as he said he was trying to protect those harmed by the administration's policies.
What to expect as shooting investigation heads into new week
04:10 , Josh MarcusInvestigators are scouring the Washington Hilton hotel and a Southern California home for more details on Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of firing shots at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
Allen, a teacher, allegedly traveled from his home in Torrance, California, to Chicago and then onto Washington by rail, according to officials.
Once in the capital, he used legally purchased firearms in his alleged attack at the dinner.
Allen is not cooperating with officials, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Face the Nation on Sunday.
The 31-year-old suspect is expected to face weapons and assault charges, and could face further allegations in the future.
"There's a lot of federal charges that could be in play beyond those two charges, but it depends on us understanding his motive, his intent, his premeditation of what led into him deciding he was going to do what he did last night," Blanche added.
Allen is set to be arraigned on Monday.
King and Queen reach out to Trump after shooting at White House correspondents’ dinner
04:09 , Namita SinghKing Charles and Queen Camilla have privately reached out to US president Donald Trump and his wife – first lady Melania Trump – to express their sympathies after a shooting at a White House Correspondents’ dinner, a palace source said.
British senior minister Darren Jones said earlier on Sunday that the government would continue to cooperate closely with US security services ahead of Charles' visit and that extensive discussions already under way would continue in the coming days.
"In respect of His Majesty's visit to the United States next week ... our security services obviously remain in close cooperation in advance of that," Jones told Sky News.
King Charles' visit to US to proceed after Washington shooting
03:58 , Namita SinghKing Charles' state visit to the US will go ahead as planned on Monday despite a shooting at a White House dinner attended by president Donald Trump, Buckingham Palace said after discussions with US officials.
Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are due to arrive on Monday for a four-day state visit, but questions arose after a man opened fire on security personnel near the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday, prompting Secret Service agents to rush Trump from the venue.
"I think it's great; he'll be very safe," Trump said in an interview on CBS News. "The White House grounds are really safe."
Trump also said there was no indication from authorities that there were additional threats to himself or other officials.
US authorities believe the shooting likely targeted the president and administration officials, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
Blanche also said he was confident Charles would be safe during this week's visit to the US.
The four-day trip – which is to include a private meeting with Trump and an address to Congress marking 250 years since US independence – is intended to reinforce the strained US-British relationship amid differences over the Iran war.
ICYMI: Will Saturday's shooting prompt firings at Secret Service?
03:10 , Josh MarcusNew 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 Politics 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.
The report also claimed that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles plans to blame the president’s sons, who reportedly pushed for Curran’s appointment, if the president decides to fire him. Wiles, as Trump’s top aide, oversees the Secret Service and also faced some criticism for allowing Curran to remain in his job this long.
Curran took over the agency last year, just months after the president was nearly assassinated in Butler, Pennsylvania during a campaign event.
John Bowden reports.
Top Trump figures at odds over future of Secret Service chief, report claims
What we've learned from shooting suspect's family
02:10 , Josh MarcusFamily members reportedly raised red flags about the man accused of carrying out Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Prior to the shooting, suspect Cole Tomas Allen allegedly sent a manifesto to his family, reportedly prompting Allen’s brother to get in touch with the New London, Connecticut, police department.
Separately, after the shooting, Allen’s sister reportedly spoke with the Secret Service and Washington-area police.
She told them her brother had a tendency to make radical claims and had spoken of a desire to do “something” to fix present-day issues, a senior administration official told NBC News.
Allen had two handguns and a shotgun at home in Torrance, California, that he hid from his parents, she reportedly said.
Hakeem Jeffries fires back at those attacking Democrats after shooting
01:40 , Josh MarcusHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had a sharp response on Sunday for those linking Democrats to Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“America will not be lectured about civility by far right extremists in Congress,” the New York congressman wrote on X. “Particularly those who provide aid and comfort to hundreds of violent rioters who brutally beat police officers on January 6. There will be ample time to vigorously debate the issues of the day. Now is a time to unify.”
As The Independent has previously reported, recent acts of political violence have been carried out by individuals tied to left- and right-wing ideologies alike.
Why political violence has spiked in the Trump era and what can be done to stop it
Trump details first lady's fears, slams Democrats in first big interview after shooting
01:09 , Josh MarcusPresident Trump is sharing more of his thoughts and recollections about lasts night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The president described the first lady’s fear after gunshots were heard, which some attendees initially thought was a tray being dropped.
“I think she realized ahead of time that that was more of a bullet than it was a tray,” Trump told 60 Minutes in an interview that aired on Sunday. “She looked very upset about what just took place.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Trump said political violence was a fixture of life, but singled out rhetoric from Democrats as especially dangerous.
“It’s always been there. People are assassinated. People are injured,” Trump told anchor Norah O’Donnell. “People are hurt. I’m not sure that there’s any more now than there was. I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats, much more so, is very dangerous. I really think it’s very dangerous for the country.”
The president lashed out at O’Donnell when she read from a portion of alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen’s manifesto, which stated, “I'm no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”
The president called CBS News “horrible people” for asking a question about the manifesto.
“I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you're horrible people,” Trump said. “Yeah he did write that. I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody. I'm not a pedophile.”
“You read that crap from some sick person,” the president continued. “I got associated with stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated. Your friends on the other side of the plate are the ones that were involved with let’s say Epstein or other things.”
Conspiracy theories flourish after Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Monday 27 April 2026 00:33 , Josh MarcusAs has become routine after major news events, conspiracy theories spread rapidly online in the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
As WIRED notes, numerous users on the left-leaning Bluesky social network simply posted the word “STAGED” after the shooting.
Others on X, which tends to lean more rightward, claimed the shooting was a false flag operation meant to drum up support for President Trump’s White House ballroom project.
Right-wing content creator Matt Walsh seemed to mock these individuals in an X post of his own.
“So in summary we have a plot where all parties involved are working against their own interests with no real discernible benefit to any of them,” he wrote. “There is no evidence of this plan and it doesn’t even make any intuitive sense and the motives for everyone are unclear if not insane, but still I believe it because I’m a very smart person.”
'I'm pretty shaken up': Caltech classmates shocked Cole Allen accused of WHCD shooting
Monday 27 April 2026 00:08 , Josh MarcusPeople who knew Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen at his alma matter Caltech are shocked their former classmate is accused of attempting to attack the president.
“I’m pretty shaken up,” Sheila Murthy told The Wall Street Journal.
She described Allen as “somewhat reserved, quiet, and introverted to say the least,” during their time at Caltech, one of the nation’s premier science and engineering universities.
Adrian Costantino, who graduated with Allen, painted a similar picture.
“We were all a little weird, a little nerdy but he was even more nerdy,” he told the Journal. “But he was always nice and kind to people. When I heard about him being involved in this, I was like, holy s***, this is not what I would expect of him.”
Shooting suspect almost reached ballroom where president sat
Sunday 26 April 2026 23:48 , Josh Marcus
White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen sprinted through a security checkpoint and nearly made it into the ballroom where the president, top cabinet figures, and large swathes of the Washington press corps were located, according to security footage and bystanders.
“His face was determined,” attendee Erin Thielman told The Washington Post. “Eyes wide open, mouth in line with determination. He was zeroed in and focused. I can’t get his face out of my mind.”
Allen nearly made it to a staircase leading into the ballroom, according to an analysis by the paper, but he was apprehended by security officers.
Late Saturday, President Trump shared blurry security video footage that allegedly showed Allen running past the checkpoint and agents drawing their guns.
'Deeply troubling': Local reaction as California man accused of Correspondents' Dinner shooting
Sunday 26 April 2026 23:31 , Josh Marcus
Local leaders in Torrance, California, the home of White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen, are reacting with shock and dismay.
“The City of Torrance stands firmly against political violence, extremism, and acts of hatred in any form,” Mayor George K. Chen said in a statement late Saturday. “We reject attempts to sow fear or division, whether here at home or anywhere in our country.”
Dylan Wakayama, president of the Asian American Civic Trust, told The Los Angeles Times that Allen tutored students associated with the organization.
“They thought he was very intelligent, proficient in biology, mathematics and science,” he said. “They thought he was on the nicer, quiet side. They were completely shocked when I told them that this all went down.”
“I think all of us in Torrance would be shocked if this is the man who attempted to kill the president of the United States,” he added.
Catch up on the latest on White House Correspondents’ Dinner attack
Sunday 26 April 2026 23:00 , Andrea CavallierA man is in custody following last night's White House Correspondents’ Dinner attack. But what was the motive? As investigators continue their probe, here’s what we know so far:
- President Trump will be on CBS’s 60 Minutes tonight to discuss the latest on the attack.
- The suspected gunman has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California. FBI agents are going door to door in his neighborhood.
- In writings sent to family members prior to the attack, the suspect described himself as “Friendly Federal Assassin”
- A manifesto found in his hotel allegedly revealed that he planned to target Trump administration officials, “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest”
- Trump said Allen was “a very troubled guy” who “hates Christians”
- Allen purchased a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol from a store in southern California on October 6, 2023. On August 17, 2025, Allen bought a 12-gauge shotgun from another gun store in his hometown. The guns were purchased legally.
- Investigators determined that the suspect took a train from Los Angeles to Chicago, and then from Chicago to Washington, where he had a hotel room at the site of the shooting.
- The Secret Service officer who was struck by a round was wearing a bulletproof vest and has been released from the hospital.
- President Trump said the shooting proves why the construction of a $400 million White House ballroom is crucial for national security, claiming it could prevent future incidents.
- The suspect will face federal firearm and assault charges and is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
- Buckingham Palace has confirmed King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the US will go ahead as planned. They arrive on Monday.
- White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang said the organization’s board will be meeting to assess the incident and will “determine how to proceed.”
President Trump recalls the moment he was rushed away after shots rang out
Sunday 26 April 2026 22:50 , Andrea CavallierIn a preview clip from President Trump’s interview on tonight’s 60 Minutes, he admits that he “wasn’t making it that easy” for the Secret Service when shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner because he wanted to see what was going on.
“I wanted to see what was happening,” Trump said when the Secret Service rushed in after shots rang out.
“And I wasn’t making it that easy for them. I wanted to see what was going on. And by that time we started to realize maybe it was a bad problem.”
President Trump said he “wasn’t making it that easy” for the Secret Service as it responded when shots rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, because he wanted to see what was going on. @NorahODonnell's interview with the President, tonight on 60 Minutes. pic.twitter.com/Us7RqmMqg2
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 26, 2026
MAGA lawmaker introducing legislation to pave way for Trump’s ballroom
Sunday 26 April 2026 22:41 , Andrea CavallierRepublican lawmakers plan to turn President Trump’s call to create his ballroom after the shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening into legislation.
Sen. Tim Sheehy, a freshman from Montana, said that this week, he will request unanimous consent for legislation to express support for the creation of the ballroom in the East Wing of the White House.
“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nation’s capital, including ones attended by our President, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy said.
The president has made the construction of the $400m structure at the White House a top priority, despite the fact many Americans disapprove of its construction. Polling last year showed Americans were unhappy about the demolition of the East Wing of the White House for its construction.
But since the shooting on Saturday evening, when a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton where the dinner was hosted, Trump and his administration have made the case that the ballroom is a national security priority.
Eric Garcia reports:
MAGA lawmaker introducing legislation to pave way for Trump’s ballroom
Former president Barack Obama posts about shooting
Sunday 26 April 2026 22:40 , Andrea Cavallier“Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy. It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that U.S. Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them – and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay.”
Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy. It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 26, 2026
Kari Lake recalls confronting Jake Tapper as they were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Dinner
Sunday 26 April 2026 22:30 , Andrea CavallierMAGA ally Kari Lake is playing the blame game after she was rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner alongside other attendees when a gunman opened fire at the event.
Lake, the senior advisor to the United States Agency for Global Media, says she did not waste a minute in confronting CNN anchor Jake Tapper for “spreading lies” about President Donald Trump in the middle of their evacuation Saturday night from the Washington Hilton.
“I walked out right next to Jake Tapper and looked him in the eye,” Lake, 56, said on Newsmax hours after the shooting. “And I said, ‘How dare you? You have caused so much division in this country pushing lies. We’re not going to call it gaslighting anymore — you’ve lied to the people. How dare you do that?”
DOJ urges group to drop White House ballroom lawsuit
Sunday 26 April 2026 22:04 , Andrea CavallierIn a letter shared by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Sunday on X, the Justice Department is asking the National Trust for Historic Preservation to drop its lawsuit seeking to stop the president from building a White House ballroom.
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.”
It’s time to build the ballroom. pic.twitter.com/cUMkVpehGY
— Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) April 26, 2026
Employer of suspected gunman says it is cooperating with authorities
Sunday 26 April 2026 20:42 , Andrea CavallierSuspected 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
Sunday 26 April 2026 20:16 , Andrea CavallierNew 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 Politics 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.
John Bowden reports:
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
Sunday 26 April 2026 19:46 , Andrea CavallierFor a brief moment, after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner sent the room into chaos, President Trump and the evening’s featured entertainer, mentalist Oz Pearlman, crouched down feet away from each other and shared a glance.
“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.
Josh Marcus reports:
‘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
Sunday 26 April 2026 19:40 , Andrea CavallierBuckingham 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
Sunday 26 April 2026 19:20 , Andrea CavallierPresident 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.
President Trump sits down with 60 Minutes to discuss what happened at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night. pic.twitter.com/rIq4CxPIHS
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) April 26, 2026
Where is the suspected gunman now?
Sunday 26 April 2026 19:10 , Andrea CavallierCole 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’
Sunday 26 April 2026 18:50 , Andrea CavallierTrump 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.
Read full story:
Trump targeted by ‘sick’ shooter who called himself the ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’
Alleged shooter planned to target Trump administration officials ‘prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,’ he wrote in manifesto
Sunday 26 April 2026 18:40 , Andrea CavallierThe suspect who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night before he was tackled by security wrote in a manifesto that he planned to target Trump administration officials, “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” according to law enforcement and White House officials.
He also planned to target authorities “only if necessary.”
Guests of the hotel and employees were not his intended targets but that he would still attack them to get to the administration: “I really hope it doesn't come to that,” he wrote.
Trump calls ‘third rate’ ABC News anchor morning after correspondents’ dinner shooting with two things on his mind
Sunday 26 April 2026 18:30 , Andrea CavallierABC’s Jonathan Karl detailed a phone call from President Donald Trump on Sunday morning — just hours after the shocking White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting — and said that the president, who’d once derided him as a “third-rate” journalist, had called to check if he was OK.
Karl, a White House correspondent and former president of the White House Correspondent’s Association, described the conversation with the president on ABC’s This Week to host George Stephanopoulos. Saturday evening’s annual dinner at the Washington Hilton was disrupted by gunshots when officials say suspect Cole Allen charged through a security perimeter armed with multiple weapons.
“My phone rang shortly after 7am, my landline, George, actually a number that few people call, and it was President Trump calling ... At first he was calling to see if I was OK, with what happened last night; ‘Are you OK?’” Karl recalled Trump asking.
Eric Garcia reports:
Trump calls ‘third rate’ ABC News anchor morning after correspondents’ shooting
Republican lawmaker calls on Congress to end DHS shutdown
Sunday 26 April 2026 18:15 , Andrea CavallierRepublican Rep. Michael McCaul is calling on Congress to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
He told CNN that last night’s shooting shows why the House needs to move to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
“This highlights the urgency,” McCaul said, adding that officials should reconsider whether members of the presidential line of succession should all be in attendance at an event like this.
White House Correspondents' Association releases statement on shooting
Sunday 26 April 2026 18:00 , Andrea CavallierWeijia Jiang, President of the White House Correspondents' Association, released a statement on Sunday following Saturday night’s incident.
“Last night's shooting at the Washington Hilton was a harrowing moment for everyone in attendance.
We express our deepest gratitude to the U.S. Secret Service and all law enforcement personnel who ensured the safety of everyone in the ballroom and beyond. Their actions protected thousands of guests, and we wish a full and speedy recovery to the officer who was injured in the line of duty. We are grateful everyone in attendance was unharmed, including the President, the First Lady, and the Vice President.
Our dinner exists to celebrate the First Amendment and the hard daily work of the journalists who defend it. Last night, those journalists showed exactly the kind of calm and courage that work demands, jumping into reporting immediately after the incident unfolded. We are proud of everyone in that room.
The WHCA board will be meeting to assess what happened and determine how to proceed. We will provide updates as soon as any are available.”
