Federal prosecutors painted a portrait of meticulous planning Wednesday, filing court documents that lay out Cole Tomas Allen's alleged weeks-long scheme to assassinate Donald Trump at the White House correspondents' dinner. The motion, filed by the US attorney for DC, requests that Allen be held without bail pending trial.
The filing includes two selfies taken in Allen's Washington hotel room hours before the attack. In the images, the 31-year-old tutor from Torrance, California stands in a black suit before a mirror, armed with two firearms and multiple knives strapped to his belt. Prosecutors say these are the same weapons confiscated from Allen after his arrest Saturday night.
What emerges from the court documents is a portrait of someone consumed by political rage. In a series of emails sent minutes before he allegedly charged through a Secret Service checkpoint with a 12-gauge shotgun, Allen wrote of his determination to stop what he called a criminal. "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes," one message read, followed by a list of rules he intended to follow during the attack.
A postscript letter found in Allen's hotel room reflected on the security he encountered there. He noted that no one at the hotel had viewed him as a threat, and described what he saw as weak security protocols. At the bottom, he signed himself "Cole 'coldForce' 'Friendly Federal Assassin' Allen."
The alias "coldForce" traced back years through Allen's online presence. Court filings show he operated under that name and variations like "@CForce3000" across YouTube, Twitch, X, and gaming forums. On Steam, his curator profile went by "Ice Forged Games."
For years, Allen's online activity centered on gaming. But after Trump's election in November 2024, his posts shifted sharply toward political commentary. Archived tweets reviewed by CNN show him comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler and encouraging others critical of the president to buy firearms. He also posted calls to nullify the 2024 election results.
Allen purchased his first firearm in October 2023. He bought the 12-gauge shotgun used in the alleged attack in August 2025, according to records detailed in the court filing.
On Saturday evening around 8:40 pm, Allen allegedly rushed through the security checkpoint outside the black tie event. A Secret Service agent opened fire immediately. One officer was struck but sustained no injuries thanks to a bulletproof vest. Surveillance video reviewed by the Washington Post shows an officer drawing his weapon within two seconds of Allen's arrival and firing four times, including toward other security personnel as Allen moved forward. The video shows no indication Allen discharged his weapon, though prosecutors allege a Secret Service officer witnessed him do so.
Prosecutors argue the evidence of guilt is "overwhelming." Allen faces a possible life sentence with a mandatory minimum of 10 years. He has not yet entered a plea. The Trump dinner drew more than 2,500 members of the press corps.
Author James Rodriguez: "The emails and selfies turn this from a headline into a window into radicalization, and the timing matters more than the failed execution."
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