US EditionLine of Succession: Who Was and Was Not at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Investigators say the suspect was a hotel guest and carried a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives before being detained, officials said.
- On Saturday, April 25, 2026, a gunman identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, forcing officials to rush President Donald Trump and other attendees to safety.
- Investigators believe Allen accessed the hotel as a guest, bypassing the outermost security layer; critics questioned whether the Washington Hilton was a suitable venue for hosting the president and multiple Cabinet members.
- Armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives, Allen was apprehended after allegedly shooting an agent in a protective vest. The Secret Service argued their "multi-layered protection" worked as designed, though attendees described hearing gunshots and taking cover under tables.
- President Trump told CBS News he "wasn't making it that easy" for agents during the evacuation because he wanted to see what was happening. Officials revealed Allen left behind a "manifesto" detailing his intent to target administration officials.
- Saturday's incident marks the third assassination attempt on Trump, prompting him to announce any rescheduled event will feature a larger security perimeter. Security experts continue debating vulnerabilities inherent in hosting such events at open hotels.
24 Articles
24 Articles
According to authorities, a man tried to break into the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday with a firearm and knives.
'Morning Joe' Criticizes Security at White House Correspondents: 'Extraordinarily Stupid'
“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough called out the “extraordinarily stupid” level of security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after this year’s event was interrupted by an armed gunman. “It just seems extraordinarily stupid to use an open hotel and get State of the Union-type concentration of power in the United States, especially at a time of war against a country that’s been the epicenter of terrorism since 1979,” Scarboro…
Here's a look inside security at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner raised questions about how close the alleged gunman got to the president and what the Secret Service security looked like.
Breaking down the security functions at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
CBS News analyst Aaron MacLean joins with his take on security measures at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, where a suspected gunman rushed the security perimeter and shots were fired.
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