Trial Date Set for Attempted Assassination of President Trump

A U.S. federal judge has scheduled a trial for Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of attempting to kill President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Jury selection is slated for September 2027 in Washington, D.C., with the trial expected to run three to four weeks. The case follows the April 25, 2026 attack at the Washington Hilton, where Allen allegedly entered the dinner armed with guns and knives, firing a shotgun at a Secret Service officer.

Trial date set for man charged with attacking White House correspondents’ dinner The Independent

During the April 25, 2026 dinner, Allen rushed the event, discharging a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who was later struck once in a bullet-resistant vest. The officer returned fire with five shots but hit no one. Allen sustained injuries unrelated to gunfire. The incident forced an early termination of the high-profile gathering, and President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were evacuated to safety. The dinner was later rescheduled at a different venue, and Trump returned to speak three months after the attack.

The Independent

Allen, a 31-year-old computer engineer from Torrance, California, faces an attempted assassination charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He is also charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts. Prosecutors originally sought a May 2027 trial start, but Judge Trevor McFadden granted a later date after Allen’s defense requested additional preparation time.

The Independent

President Trump told reporters after the shooting, “I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down even faster.” He later described the incident as a “dangerous profession” when asked about his personal safety. White House officials confirmed that both the President and the First Lady were quickly moved to safety and that the dinner would be held again at a new location.

The Independent

• “I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down even faster,” — Donald Trump, to kill president — Donald Trump, to kill president

The Independent