White House Attack Suspect Arrested After Trump Allegedly Targeted
The United States acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche, has disclosed details of a foiled attack linked to a gunman who allegedly targeted President Donald Trump and officials at a White House dinner.
Blanche confirmed that the suspect behind Saturday’s incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been identified and is believed to have planned to target the President and members of his administration.
Speaking on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Blanche said the suspect “set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president”.
He identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, who is now in custody, while investigations are ongoing to determine his motive.
Armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives, Allen reportedly opened fire on a federal official during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, briefly disrupting the event.
Although he did not gain access to the ballroom where President Donald Trump and Vice President, JD Vance, were seated, both were quickly escorted out of the venue by Secret Service agents.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said the incident reinforced his push for a large, secure ballroom at the White House, arguing it would enhance security and prevent similar breaches.
He said the proposed “militarily top secret ballroom”, currently under construction, would include the highest level of security features and be located within the most secure part of the White House grounds.
The President also called for a legal challenge against the project to be dropped immediately, insisting that nothing should be allowed to delay its completion, which he said is on budget and ahead of schedule.
