A 31-year-old man arrested after attempting to breach the White House correspondents' dinner has been charged with three federal crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president, a charge that could result in a life sentence.
Cole Tomas Allen appeared in federal court Monday wearing a blue jail jumpsuit, accompanied by federal public defenders. Prosecutors say he was armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a pistol, and three knives when law enforcement tackled him Saturday night outside the Hilton hotel ballroom hosting the annual dinner.
Allen's alleged manifesto, which he sent to family members, contained a statement prosecutors used to support the assassination charge: "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes." Federal prosecutors have not publicly disclosed additional details about his motive.
In his manifesto, Allen criticized what he described as an "insane" lack of security at the Washington event. Despite his criticism of the venue's security posture, law enforcement officials have received widespread praise for rapidly stopping the alleged attack.
The incident has become a focal point for the Trump administration's push to complete a $40 million White House ballroom renovation project. The Justice Department has pressured a preservation group suing to halt construction, using the security breach as justification for accelerating the work.
Author James Rodriguez: "An assassination attempt at a major Washington event exposes real vulnerabilities, but weaponizing it for pet construction projects feels like exactly the wrong lesson to draw."
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