By Karim Hammam
A federal judge on Thursday scheduled a September 2027 trial for Cole Tomas Allen, the man charged with attempting to kill President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 25, 2026.
Trial schedule and charges
Jury selection is set to begin on September 7, 2027, in Washington, D.C., with the trial expected to last three to four weeks. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden set the date after one of Allen's attorneys requested more preparation time; prosecutors had sought a May 2027 start.
Allen, of Torrance, California, faces an attempted assassination charge carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison, along with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two firearms counts.
Details of the attack
Authorities say Allen stormed the dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel armed with guns and knives and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who tried to stop him. The officer was struck once in a bullet-resistant vest and returned fire with five shots but did not hit anyone. Allen was injured, though not from gunfire.
The attack forced an early end to one of the capital's highest-profile annual events. President Trump returned to speak at the rescheduled dinner three months later.
Background and motive
In writings sent to relatives before the attack, Allen criticized Trump administration policies and referred to himself as a "Friendly Federal Assassin," according to prosecutors.
