UPDATE: What we know about the shooting that interrupted the correspondents’ dinner with Trump
New information reveals that the following story has emerged from the international scene.
This is a new attack against Donald Trump. On Saturday, April 25, a gunman burst into the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) annual dinner and opened fire. The US president, who was witnessing these types of events for the first time as president along with his wife Melania Trump, and other senior officials of his administration, were urgently evacuated by federal agents. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, has been arrested. The exact motivations behind the attack are still unknown, but Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated that the alleged shooter was likely targeting administration officials. The FBI is conducting the investigation. France 24 explains what is known about the attack. US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang attend the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner in Washington, DC, United States, April 25, 2026. © Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS How did the attack unfold? On Saturday evening, April 25, the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) was organized. The event took place in the ballroom located in the basement of the Hilton hotel in Washington DC. For the first time, President Donald Trump attended the event. He was accompanied by his wife Melania and other officials from his administration. A total of 2,600 people participated in the event, according to the Reuters news agency. According to authorities, a “lone shooter” stormed a security post located in the hotel lobby, just outside the ballroom where the participants were. To display this Truth Social content, you must allow advertising and audience measurement cookies. Accept Manage my options Armed with a shotgun, the man shot at a presidential protection service agent. At the same time, images from surveillance cameras showed Donald Trump and his wife sitting at a table, when gunshots generated commotion in the back of the room. While participants hid under tables, Secret Service agents burst into the room to evacuate Donald and Melania Trump and the other members of the administration. They all escaped the attack unharmed. What is known about the detained suspect? An hour after the attack, Donald Trump wrote on the Truth Social network that “a shooter had been arrested.” Later, American media, citing police sources, identified the alleged shooter as Cole Tomas Allen. 31 years old, he lives in the town of Torrance, in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California. Few details are known about this man’s life and background. However, his LinkedIn profile presents him as “a mechanical and computer engineer by training, independent video game developer, and professor.” According to the first elements of the investigation, Cole Tomas Allen has the profile of a fairly educated person, but with a political opinion contrary to Donald Trump. The Mayor of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, speaks at a press conference after a shooting that occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington DC, United States, on April 25, 2026. © Allison Robbert / AP And according to the CBS News Channel, which spoke with an official close to the investigation, investigators reviewed messages on social networks and writings found in the same hotel where the suspect was staying. These writings contain comments against Trump and Christians. Allen sent some of his writings to members of his family before the attack, and one of them alerted police to the writings. Apparently these writings did not specifically mention Saturday’s event. However, family members told investigators that Allen regularly went to the shooting range to train with his firearms. To display this YouTube content, you must allow advertising and audience measurement cookies. Accept Manage my options An extension in your browser appears to be blocking the video player from loading. In order to view this content, you must disable it on this site. Try again © France 24 On the other hand, the acting attorney general of the United States, Todd Blanche, declared that the alleged shooter was targeting Trump administration officials. “It seems clear that he intended to attack people who work in the administration, probably including the president,” Todd Blanche said Sunday on NBC News’ Meet the Press. How is the investigation continuing? US judicial authorities indicated that the suspect will be arraigned on Monday before a local court. So far, he faces two charges: use of a firearm during a violent crime and assault on a federal agent with a dangerous weapon. “This person intended to cause as much harm as he could,” said federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro during a press conference on Sunday. However, other charges could be added as the investigation progresses. In particular, the investigation seeks to show how the shooter was able to clandestinely introduce a shotgun into the hotel. Law enforcement officers respond to an address linked to Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Torrance, United States. AP – Ethan Swope Prosecutor Todd Blanche also reported that search warrants were issued to conduct searches at the suspect’s home in California. The alleged shooter is currently “not actively cooperating” with the investigation, the attorney general added in statements to the CBS News program “Face the Nation.” For his part, Donald Trump said that it would be an act committed by a “lone wolf.” What were the reactions after the attack? After the attack, Donald Trump hailed the “formidable” work of the security forces, in a message published on the Truth Social social network. “What a night in Washington! The Secret Service and law enforcement did a tremendous job,” the US president wrote. He added that he hopes that a new dinner can be organized within 30 days. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must allow audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my options Numerous messages also came from the international community. For example, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked” by the shooting in Washington, and expressed his “immense relief” that President Donald Trump and the other participants were safe. French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced an “unacceptable” attack after and expressed “all his support” for Donald Trump. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must allow audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my options Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared that he was “shocked” by “the assassination attempt” suffered by his faithful American ally, while other world leaders, such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and the head of the Spanish Government Pedro Sánchez also expressed support for the American president. With Reuters, AFP and local media.
Analysis and Perspective:
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The implications of this story extend beyond borders and could affect millions of people globally.
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Source: This article was originally published in another language by France 24 – Noticias y actualidad internacional en vivo and has been translated and adapted for our global English-speaking audience. Read the original article here.