Man pleads not guilty to attempted assassination of Trump at gala

On Monday, in a federal court in Washington, Cole Allen, 31, from California, entered a not guilty plea to multiple charges, including the attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump, assaulting a federal officer, and various firearms violations. These allegations arose from an event at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25, 2026, where prosecutors claim Allen discharged a shotgun at a US Secret Service agent and breached a security checkpoint in an unsuccessful attack targeting Trump and other officials. Appearing in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, Allen was represented by his lawyer, Tezira Abe, before US District Judge Trevor McFadden. The hearing also highlighted a potential legal conflict regarding the involvement of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who were present at the dinner and may have been targets. Defense attorney Eugene Ohm suggested they might seek the recusal of the entire US Attorney's Office due to Pirro's friendship with Trump. In a prior hearing, another judge expressed regret over Allen's treatment in a DC jail, which included isolation and suicide precautions.