U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspect accused of trying to attack administration officials at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night was a “radicalised”, “pretty sick guy” who had been flagged to law enforcement by family members and had made claims that Trump is a rapist.
Identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, California, the suspect had posted what Trump described as an “anti-Christian” manifesto.
“He was a Christian, believer, and then he became an anti-Christian, and he had a lot of change,” Trump told CBS’s “60 Minutes” program. “He was probably a pretty sick guy.”
During the CBS’s interview with Norah O’Donnell, Trump lost his calm when O’Donnell quoted Allen’s manifesto, reading – “I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”
“I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people. Horrible people,” the President said.
“Yeah, he did write that. I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody,” he added.
O’Donnell tried to intervene, asking, “Oh, do you think he was referring to you?”
Ignoring her question, Trump declared, “I’m not a paedophile.”
‘Totally Exonerated’
Though not mentioned in the manifesto, Trump took it as a hint with his association with Jefferey Epstein, and said, “You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with all the stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated.”
“Your friends on the other side of the plate are the ones that were involved with, let’s say, Epstein or other things. But I said to myself, “You know, I’ll do this interview and they’ll probably” – I read the manifesto. You know, he’s a sick person. But you should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I’m not any of those things,” he fumed.
The president claimed he “wasn’t worried” when he heard the shots being fired. “I understand life. We live in a crazy world.”
“I’ve been through this before a couple of times, and the first lady has not to this extent. She handled it great. She’s very strong… We went to a holding room for a while, and I tried to get them to continue the event if possible,” he added.
This was Trump’s third assassination attempt in two years.
In the manifesto, Allen calls himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and cites Christian theology to target Trump administration officials to protect those harmed by the administration.
Security Concerns
The manifesto, which was sent to members of Allen’s family shortly before the attack, mocked the “insane” lack of security at the Washington Hilton, where the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was held.
Allen was arrested at the scene.
The chaotic events raised fresh questions about the security of top U.S. officials, many of whom were gathered in the hotel’s expansive ballroom.
“This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top-Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House. It cannot be built fast enough!” Trump seized the attention to promote his planned White House Ballroom while writing on Truth Social.
The suspect will be charged in federal court on Monday with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, acting US Attorney General Blanche said, adding he did not know if there was an Iran connection to the attack. Further federal indictments will be coming later, he said.
Rising Political Violence
Saturday’s incident was another reminder of a rising tide of political violence in the United States in recent years.
Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a rally last September, just months after the June 2025 slaying of Democratic Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and the wounding of a Minnesota state senator.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the days following Kirk’s murder found Americans believe increasingly harsh rhetoric surrounding politics is encouraging violence in the U.S.
A White House official said law enforcement officials who interviewed Allen’s sister were told he had a tendency to make radical statements, had attended an anti-Trump “No Kings” protest and referred to a plan to do “something” to fix issues with today’s world.
Trump suggested the protest might have spurred the suspect to action. “Part of the reason you have people like that is you have people doing No Kings,” he told CBS. “I’m not a king.”
The president also blamed “hate speech” by Democratic leaders for the political violence in America, claiming it was very dangerous.
Around the world, leaders condemned the attack and expressed relief that Trump and all present were safe.
A planned U.S. visit by King Charles of Britain scheduled to start on Monday will proceed, Trump and British officials said.
(with inputs from Reuters)
