Trump Dinner Shooter Sent Manifesto To Family Just 10 Minutes Before Attack: What He Wrote

Last Updated:April 27, 2026, 07:16 IST

Cole Tomas Allen tried to attack Trump officials at the White House Correspondents Dinner. He sent a document described as an anti-Trump manifesto to members of his family.

An shooting incident disrupted a high-profile evening in Washington, DC, where US President Donald Trump and the first lady were attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Around 2,500 guests were present at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night when a 31-year-old man from California allegedly tried to carry out an attack.

The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, was stopped at a security checkpoint before reaching the ballroom. Authorities say he had entered the hotel earlier with multiple weapons and a plan already in place.

Suspect wrote anti-Trump official manifesto

Roughly 10 minutes before opening fire, Allen sent a document described as an anti-Trump manifesto to members of his family. According to a report by the New York Post, a relative later handed the document to police.

Allen signed the manifesto using the name “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen." In it, he listed Trump administration officials as targets, ranking them by seniority, though he specifically excluded FBI Director Kash Patel.

“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes," he wrote, in an apparent reference to President Trump.

What was in the manifesto?

He wrote that administration officials were to be prioritised as targets and suggested he might go further if necessary. He claimed that many attendees were complicit simply by attending the event.

Allen also described his choice of weapon, stating he would use buckshot instead of slugs to reduce penetration through walls. However, he added that he would still go through “most everyone" if required to reach his targets, while expressing hope that it would not come to that.

The manifesto included Allen’s reasoning, portraying his actions as a response to perceived injustice rather than aggression. He wrote that “turning the other cheek" was only appropriate when one is personally oppressed, not when others are suffering.

He referred to victims of violence and injustice and argued that failing to act in such situations amounted to complicity. The document also contained repeated attacks on the president and senior officials, accusing them of serious crimes.

Allen wrote that he was no longer willing to allow such actions to continue and framed his intentions as a moral stand.

In the document, Allen claimed he had entered the Washington Hilton carrying multiple weapons without being challenged. He criticised what he described as a lack of awareness and overconfidence among those present.

He suggested that security efforts were focused mainly on people arriving at the event and protestors outside, rather than individuals who had checked in earlier. He called this oversight “incompetence" and argued that it left the venue vulnerable.

Allen went further, stating that if he had been acting on behalf of a foreign power, he could have brought in far more dangerous weapons without detection. He described the situation as “insane" and said he hoped such issues would be corrected in the future.  “If I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed shit," he wrote, referring to the M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun.

It was Allen’s brother who alerted authorities after receiving the manifesto. He contacted police in New London, Connecticut, prompting a response that likely prevented further harm.

The Secret Service also interviewed Allen’s sister in Rockville, Maryland. She reportedly told investigators that he had a history of making politically extreme remarks and had spoken about wanting to take action to address global problems.

Arrest and charges

Investigators say Allen rushed a Secret Service checkpoint and opened fire before being subdued. A law enforcement officer was struck during the incident but survived due to wearing a bulletproof vest.

Authorities found that Allen had checked into the hotel a day earlier. He was carrying multiple weapons, including a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect appeared to have planned an attack targeting Trump administration officials. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro confirmed that Allen faces two charges and is due to appear in federal district court on Monday.

What Trump said about the incident?

Speaking to CBS News on Sunday, President Trump said the suspect had been “radicalized" and described the manifesto as evidence of ideological extremism. He suggested that Allen had undergone a shift in beliefs, calling him “a pretty sick guy."

During the interview, Trump was read excerpts from the manifesto, including accusations made against him. He strongly rejected those claims, stating, “I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody. I’m not a pedophile," and criticised the interviewer for reading them aloud.

Trump also reacted to information that Allen had attended a “No Kings" protest in California, responding that he was “not a king."

The president praised the speed and professionalism of law enforcement officers who responded to the incident. He said the response appeared “like a blur" when viewed on video and commended their handling of the situation.

Trump described the tense moments during the shooting, including the reaction of First Lady Melania Trump. He said she handled the situation well and described her as “very strong."

The couple were briefly moved to a secure holding room during the incident. Despite the disruption, Trump said he wanted the event to continue and expressed hope that it would be held again in the future, calling it “very important."

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