Cole Allen, 31, did not immediately contest prosecutors’ arguments that he was a danger to the community
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenReutersPublished: 11:50pm, 30 Apr 2026The man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at a black-tie press gala in Washington agreed on Thursday to remain in custody while his case moves forward.
The suspect, Cole Allen, 31, would not immediately contest prosecutors’ arguments that he was a danger to the community and should remain in jail, his lawyer, Tezira Abe, said during a court hearing.
Allen allegedly stormed a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
Prosecutors argued Allen carefully planned to attack Trump and other officials in his administration as they dined with some 2,600 journalists, politicians and others in a ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel.
They alleged in a legal filing that Allen travelled by train from his California hometown to Washington armed with the shotgun, a .38-calibre pistol as well as knives and daggers and was “willing to commit a mass shooting inside a room full of the highest-ranking officials in the US government”.
Allen is charged with attempted assassination, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and illegally transporting guns and ammunition across state lines. He has not yet entered a plea.
