President Trump’s Response to Ongoing Threats
President Donald Trump attributes repeated assassination attempts to his significant global influence, stating that attackers target the most impactful figures in history. During a press conference after the latest incident, Trump responded directly to the question, “Why do you think this keeps happening to you?”
“I must tell you the most impactful people, the people that do the most, you take a look at the people – Abraham Lincoln – I mean, you go through the people that have gone through this where they got ’em, but the people that do the most and the people that make the biggest impact are the ones that they go after,” Trump explained. He emphasized that assailants avoid those who “don’t do much because they like it that way.”
Trump added, “Just take a look at the names here. The big names, and I hate to say I’m honored by that, but I’ve done a lot. We’ve done a lot.” He highlighted transforming the United States from “a laughingstock” to “the hottest country in the world,” noting, “We’ve changed this country, and there are a lot of people that are not happy about that.”
Details of the Latest Attempt
The third known attempt occurred on Saturday when 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner held at the Washington Hilton. Surveillance footage shows Allen, dressed in black and armed with a gun, sprinting past security guards in the hallway. Officers quickly reacted, drawing their weapons as he dashed toward the ballroom doors where Trump, senior cabinet members, and thousands of journalists gathered.
Allen carried a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives. He rented a room at the hotel prior to the event. Authorities confirmed he sustained no gunshot wounds but received hospital evaluation after being subdued. Trump shared an image on Truth Social depicting Allen shirtless and face-down on the carpet.
Suspect’s Manifesto and Background
Allen, who dubbed himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” authored a manifesto sent to family members just 10 minutes before the attack. A relative provided the document to police. It stated: “Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial. I’m not a schoolkid blown up or a child starved or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration. Turning the other cheek when *someone else* is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.”
The writing specified using buckshot to minimize casualties and prioritized targets as “administration officials (not including [FBI Director Kash] Patel): they are targets, from highest-ranking to lowest.” Allen wrote, “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” Evidence from his devices supported intent to target officials at the dinner.
Family members reported Allen’s radical statements, frequent mentions of plans to “fix” world problems, and regular visits to a shooting range. They alerted authorities after receiving the writings, though it did not explicitly reference the event. A senior U.S. official confirmed Allen’s affiliation with The Wide Awakes group and attendance at a No Kings protest in California.
Previous Assassination Attempts
Trump previously faced threats in 2024. In Butler, Pennsylvania, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired, injuring Trump and killing a supporter before law enforcement neutralized him. Another incident in Florida involved 59-year-old Ryan Routh, recently sentenced to life in prison.
