By Karim Hammam
A federal judge has set a trial date for Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April 2026. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Sept. 7, 2027, and the trial in Washington, D.C., is expected to last three to four weeks.
Prosecutors Sought Earlier Start
Prosecutors had requested a May 2027 start, but U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden granted a later date after one of Allen's attorneys asked for more time to prepare.
Details of the Attack
Video evidence showed Allen, a 31-year-old computer engineer from Torrance, California, rushing the media dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel on April 25, 2026, armed with guns and knives. He 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, though no one was hit. Allen was injured, but not from gunfire. Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and other White House officials were rushed to safety, and the event was canceled. Trump later said he should have taken cover faster and described the incident as a reminder that the presidency is a dangerous profession. The dinner was rescheduled at a different venue three months later, and Trump spoke at that event.
Suspect's Background and Charges
Authorities said Allen railed against Trump administration policies in writings sent to family members before the attack and referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin.” He faces an attempted assassination charge carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as charges of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two firearms counts.
Previous Assassination Attempt
The correspondents' dinner attack followed another assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear before the gunman was killed by security personnel.
