Cole Tomas Allen, dinner shooting suspect, charged with attempting to assassinate Trump

The man accused of shooting a US Secret Service agent as he tried to breach ​security at a Washington dinner attended by President Donald Trump is facing federal charges of attempting to assassinate the ‌president, a judge said in court on Monday.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, also faces firearms charges in a three-count complaint.

Allen wore a blue prison jumpsuit at his first appearance in Washington federal court, two days after authorities said they foiled an attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, an annual black-tie gathering of ​journalists and politicians.

"He attempted to assassinate the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump," prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine said in court.

Allen ​has not yet responded to the allegations. Seated at the defense table flanked by US Marshals, Allen said ⁠he would answer all questions truthfully and that he had a master's degree in computer science.

US Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Allen detained while the ​case moves forward. Sharbaugh scheduled another hearing over Allen's continued detention for Thursday.

Allen left a manifesto with family members referring to himself as ​the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and discussing plans to target senior Trump administration officials, who were present in the hotel ballroom. 

Blanche said his targets likely included Trump himself. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday described the Saturday night attack as the third major assassination attempt against Trump, after two attempts on his life in 2024. ​

She compared the rhetoric in the manifesto to criticism of Trump by his political opponents.—Reuters