# Alleged manifesto reveals White House Correspondents' Dinner suspect targeted Trump officials  
**Published:** 2026-04-26T22:14:12.000Z  
**Source:** [LEX 18 News](https://www.lex18.com/us-news/crime/alleged-manifesto-reveals-suspect-targeted-trump-officials-at-correspondents-dinner)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/alleged-manifesto-reveals-white-house-correspondents-dinner-suspect-targeted

A suspect accused of attempting to rush into Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner with a gun left behind an alleged manifesto revealing he intended to target Trump administration officials, according to federal investigators and [reporting from LEX 18 News](https://www.lex18.com/us-news/crime/alleged-manifesto-reveals-suspect-targeted-trump-officials-at-correspondents-dinner).

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrence, California, was quickly subdued after breaching an outer security checkpoint outside the ballroom where approximately 2,300 people were gathered. One officer was shot in the chest but protected by a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to recover. Secret Service agents stormed the stage to protect President Donald Trump after shots were fired inside the ballroom.

Allen faces federal charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators determined Allen traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago, then to Washington, D.C., by train, checking into the Washington Hilton on April 24.

According to officials, Allen's written manifesto expressed intentions to target high-ranking federal government officials. His social media accounts contained anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric. Allen's family in Connecticut alerted police about the manifesto, which was sent to relatives minutes before the incident. One family member told investigators Allen's communications referenced plans to do "something" to address what he saw as problems in the world.

Investigators are continuing to establish a full motive, Blanche indicated. Following the incident, Trump called for Americans to "re-commit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully" during a news conference. The president characterized the attempt as a third threat on his life and said society should not be deterred from attending public events. The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner celebrates First Amendment values and press freedom.

## Sources

- [LEX 18 News](https://www.lex18.com/us-news/crime/alleged-manifesto-reveals-suspect-targeted-trump-officials-at-correspondents-dinner)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from LEX 18 News. The original source is available at https://www.lex18.com/us-news/crime/alleged-manifesto-reveals-suspect-targeted-trump-officials-at-correspondents-dinner.