Emotionless suspected Trump gunman Cole Allen appears in court as he's charged with attempted assassination

By PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 19:05, 27 April 2026 | Updated: 19:27, 27 April 2026 The alleged White House Correspondents' dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen appeared emotionless in court for the first time as he faces new major federal charges - including the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.  The Justice Department accused Allen, 31, of attempting to attack the dinner - and target Trump and administration officials - by running through a Secret Service checkpoint with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. The suspect allegedly exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents at a checkpoint outside a ballroom hosting President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The alleged gunman was brought into court for the first time on Monday in a blue prison jumpsuit and was charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States. That charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Allen appeared emotionless and calm as three charges were read out by prosecutors, keeping his cuffed hands in his lap. He spoke in a quiet tone when asked to state his full name in front of the court.  Allen is also facing a second charge on transportation of a firearm in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony. The third charge is using a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a minimum of 10 years, as well as the possibility of life imprisonment if prosecutors can prove the weapon was discharged. Allen is being represented by court-appointed attorneys. He said he has no drugs in his system when asked by federal Judge Matthew J Sharpe. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro entered the courtroom five minutes before he entered. She was wearing a light blue shirt and white blazer. He sat calmly with two attorneys and nodded occasionally when they spoke to him. He was read his rights and said he understood them. His next hearing will be on Thursday at 11 am ET. He has not yet entered a plea. Federal prosecutors quickly announced hours after the incident on Saturday that Allen would be arraigned on gun charges.  PICTURE: Cole Allen is pictured after being detained by Secret Service at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening Donald Trump and his top officials were rushed out of the dinner Secret Service after four shots were fired outside the ballroom Allen smuggled a shotgun into the Hilton Hotel hosting the dinner Though Allen was quickly subdued and did not enter the large dining hall, many of those in attendance have fretted over how a gunman was even able to get into the building, particularly after two prior assassination attempts on the President's life. The Mossberg Maverick 12-gauge gun, which he was allegedly holding when he rushed through the security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, was seen on a carpeted floor. It was just one of the weapons Allen allegedly brought to the event. He was also armed with a handgun and knives when he rushed the security checkpoint on the floor above the reception, authorities have said. After exchanging gunfire with law enforcement, the gunman was tackled to the ground. Allen was just yards from the dinner where the President, Vice President, First Lady and most of Trump's Cabinet were dining on Saturday evening when he was apprehended. Allen was reportedly staying at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was being held. He avoided the hotel's highly monitored corridors by slipping through an internal stairway that was not as closely surveilled as the hallways and elevators. After running down around 10 stories in the stairwell, the gunman emerged on a lower level close to the initial screening area where magnetometers and Secret Service were stationed. Concerns have swirled over how Allen was able to bring the shotgun, a handgun and knives with him into the hotel without detection. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro entered the courtroom five minutes before he entered He was apprehended on a floor above the reception, though had he been able to continue down just one additional flight of stairs, he could've breached the dining hall where Trump and his top officials were dining. After being evacuated to the White House following the gunfire, Trump noted that the hotel was not a particularly secure venue. According to a manifesto he sent to family members moments before his planned attack, Allen was attempting to take out the President and members of his inner circle. According to the New York Post, Allen's manifesto read: 'Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I'm not the person raped in a detention camp. I'm not the fisherman executed without trial. An agent who was shot in his bulletproof vest was released from the hospital and is in 'good spirits,' according to the President.  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. 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