Trump assassination attempt shooter mocked 'insane' lack of security at hotel in manifesto

Following Donald Trump’s latest assassination scare, it's been revealed that the suspected gunman mocked “insane” security failures at the venue in a manifesto sent just minutes before the attack. Gunman Cole Allen allegedly emailed the document to family members around 10 minutes before opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner inside the Washington Hilton. Inside, he claimed he had been able to walk in armed without raising suspicion. In the disturbing manifesto, signed “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen,” he wrote: “Like, the one thing that I immediately noticed walking into the hotel is the sense of arrogance. I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.” He went on to ridicule what he described as glaring security gaps, explaining: “The security at the event is all outside, focused on protestors and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before. Like, this level of incompetence is insane, and I very sincerely hope it’s corrected by the time this country gets actually competent leadership again.” In one of the most alarming passages, Allen suggested the attack could have been far worse, writing: “Like, 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 s**t. Actually insane.” The manifesto also laid out his intent to target senior figures in Trump’s administration. According to the NY Post , he wrote: “Administration officials (not including [FBI Director Kash] Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.” Allen added: “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” in a jibe apparently referring to the president. He continued with a chilling warning about potential casualties: “In order to minimize casualties, I will also be using buckshot rather than slugs (less penetration through walls). I would still go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary (on the basis that most people chose to attend a speech by a pedophile, rapist, and traitor, and are thus complicit) but I really hope it doesn’t come to that.” The document also included ideological justifications for the attack. Allen wrote: “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. I’m not a schoolkid blown up, or a child starved, or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration. Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.” According to a US official, the manifesto was handed to police by a relative after Allen’s brother alerted authorities in New London, Connecticut. The shooting itself unfolded in seconds, with the armed suspect seen running through a metal detector and charging toward the ballroom before being tackled. One officer was shot but survived thanks to a bulletproof vest, while Trump and other senior officials were rushed from the stage. The suspect’s claims about security failures have intensified scrutiny of the United States Secret Service, already under pressure after a string of threats targeting Trump. Authorities said Allen had legally purchased two handguns and a shotgun from a California store and regularly trained at a shooting range. He is also believed to have been part of a group known as “The Wide Awakes” and had attended a “No Kings” protest in California, where he studied and worked as a teacher. Investigators have also interviewed family members, including his sister in Maryland, who reportedly told agents he had made increasingly radical political remarks and spoken about doing “something” to fix the world ’s problems. Security experts say the attacker’s own words, boasting about how easily he was able to enter the building armed, are deeply troubling and may confirm long-standing fears about vulnerabilities at high-profile political events. The Washington Hilton attack is the third major assassination attempt involving Trump since 2024, and like previous incidents, has raised urgent questions about how such breaches continue to occur. With investigators now combing through Allen’s manifesto and digital footprint, the focus is shifting sharply onto whether his claims of “insane” security failures were accurate.