The gunman who opened fire during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Allen was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives, and targeted administration officials, likely including President Donald Trump. The attack occurred outside the ballroom where Trump and Vice President JD Vance were seated, though neither was injured. Secret Service agents quickly escorted both from the venue. Allen is now in custody, and investigations into his motive are ongoing.
President Trump responded Sunday in a Truth Social post, citing the incident as proof of the need for the "Militarily Top Secret Ballroom" under construction at the White House. He described the facility as having the highest security features and claimed it would have prevented the attack. Trump also criticized a lawsuit filed by a woman walking her dog, which he said is delaying the project, though he stated the ballroom remains on budget and ahead of schedule.
Trump blames a dog-walker's lawsuit for delays to a secret ballroom he claims would have stopped an attack that did not reach him. The president frames a thwarted shooting as justification for a project already underway. Security failures at a public hotel are being used to attack a legal challenge to a private construction plan. The logic only holds if the public accepts that a ballroom, not law enforcement, is the real shield against violence.
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