A man who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, which carries a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Foreign news agencies reported on 27 Apr 2026 that Cole Thomas Allen, accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner held at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. last weekend, has been charged with attempted assassination of President Donald Trump.
If convicted, Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, could face life imprisonment.
Allen appeared for the first time before a federal court in Washington on Monday. During the hearing, prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine stated that the weapons Allen brought to Washington included a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and three knives.
"He attempted to assassinate the President of the United States, Mr. Donald J. Trump," Ballantine said in court.
According to U.S. District Judge Matthew Scharbough's statement, Allen also faces charges of illegal interstate transportation of firearms and using a firearm during a violent crime.
Allen did not respond to the allegations during the proceedings, providing only that he holds a master's degree in computer science. Defense attorney Tesira Abe stated in court that Allen has never been arrested or convicted before.
Judge Scharbough ordered that Allen be held in custody at least until Thursday, with a separate hearing scheduled to consider the prosecution's request to keep him detained pending trial.
The recent event underscores the rising political violence in the U.S., which has escalated continuously over recent years.
In September 2025, conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a rally, just months after the assassination of Melissa Hortman, a Democratic member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband in June of the same year.
"Violence has no place in a civilized society," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said to reporters after the hearing. "Violence cannot and will not be tolerated as a means to disrupt democratic institutions, and certainly must never be directed at the President of the United States again."
President Trump has previously survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Janine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., told reporters that additional charges against Allen will be filed.
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Source:cna