DC-Shooting at White House Correspondents Dinner, April 25, 2026

[airportwoman]

Motive will be interesting, if discernible. He's no dummy with all that math and science.

Does anyone else here think he's going to turn out to be a Unabomber v. 2.0?

 

[moonglow123]

Yes, and I question as to how he also entered the hotel with a shotgun, pistol and ammunition and also, how on earth was he able to secure a room just the day before?

We honestly need an investigation into this. Why was just anyone able to get into the building? Are guests really able to just stroll into the same doors a mere room away from the President? Why did security look shell-shocked and not move to tackle him until he made it to the lobby?

These security failures are certainly alarming.

 

[SouthAussie]

This was kind of a circuitous way to get to DC.


"Blanche said Allen traveled from California to Chicago and then to the nation’s capital by train and checked in as a guest to the hotel."

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/neighbor-of-suspected-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooter-says-his-parents-are-very-solid/

 

[lonetraveler]

I'm shocked security was so lax the gunman was able to rush in. I'm shocked he thought he'd be able to shoot the president (if that was his goal). The whole thing seems so ridiculous. But actually in the grand scheme of things these days I guess not that shocking.

What really caught my attention is that all the security guards in the room had their backs to the entrance to the room, when the gunman ran through taking a shots and wounding one of the guards. What also got to me is that all the security detail fired at the gunman and all shots totally missed him?????????????????

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Wasn't there 3? The one that clipped his ear and the dude that hid in trees on the other side of his golf course. Now this one.

Is the one with the guy in the tree considered an attempt? I thought he was just setting up, then ran before he was even set up? My definition of assassination attempt may vary though.

I've heard of people jumping the fence or walking on the WH grounds too, who were threats. That's happened with other presidents too, not just him. So I wonder what the feds consider an assassination attempt vs an incident.

MOO.

 

[lonetraveler]

It looks like a security flaw. From the link:

A volunteer told The Post that they saw him assemble a long weapon “in [an] unsecured room” before making a mad dash towards the ballroom.

The witness, Helen Mabus, a volunteer working the event who said she is from Harrisburg, Pa., described a “makeshift room” near the entrance where bar carts were being stored and where “there was no security” at the time.

“He was in that room […] he grabbed it out of a bag or something,” Mabus said, adding that the weapon “was long” and “didn’t look like a typical gun.”

And she did what?

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Presidential Succession: How the 'Designated Survivor' Fits In | HISTORY

It's a protocol in which little-known cabinet secretaries suddenly find themselves babysitting the nuclear codes.

www.history.com

Since the 1960's the president picks a designated survivor when he and all the people in line for the presidency are gathered in the same place. Usually it is a cabinet member.

I doubt he would have knowingly picked Grassley last night. So I wonder if he picked anyone.

MOO.

 

[SouthAussie]

We honestly need an investigation into this. Why was just anyone able to get into the building? Are guests really able to just stroll into the same doors a mere room away from the President? Why did security look shell-shocked and not move to tackle him until he made it to the lobby?

These security failures are certainly alarming.

Especially as his family had expressed concern to law enforcement prior to the event. Apparently Trump knew about their concerns by at least his Sunday morning interview on Fox. When did Trump's security detail learn about the concerns? Did Cole check into the hotel under his own name or a manufactured name?


" .... his family raised concerns with law enforcement before the event."

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/neighbor-of-suspected-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooter-says-his-parents-are-very-solid/

 

[MarciB]

doesn't security have metal detectors at the entrance(s) to an event like this? invitation only?

apparently, anyone going into the ballroom for the dinner was 'wanded' before being allowed inside. The shooting took place at the Washington Hilton one floor above the ballroom and no one was wanded there. A lot of police presence, though

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

The lack of space at the White House and limitations put on large gatherings and seating for dinners has been an issue and talked about by other presidents and first ladies. It doesn't need defending, the security issues alone make it a far more safe place to control for entertaining "in place", for all of our government and visiting heads of state. These international dinners and celebratory events are long held traditions for our country and have a purpose. They aren't random parties.
King Charles has confirmed he is not cancelling his visit.

True, but the state dinners you're talking about have nothing to do with last night's event. I'm confused by the correlation. Having the ballroom would have done nothing to prevent what happened last night as the event is not a state-sanctioned event. It's a private event, hosted by and in honor of the media.

MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

From the "manifesto"

Administration officials (not including Mr. Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest

Exclusive | Read White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Allen’s full anti-Trump manifesto

In the 1,052-word missive obtained by The Post Sunday morning outlined Allen’s “rules of engagement” for the shooting and stated he believed it was his righteous duty to target ad…

nypost.com

Wonder why Patel was excluded.

 

[SaharaLoba]

This situation highlights a number of unstable/unprecedented/etc things in society right now. 1. Gun violence as common place (ish) at any large gathering in America; 2. Secret Service having not been up to par for decades and no one knows how to fix that seemingly; 3. Political instability turned into violence (in varied and many forms at differing levels); 4. Forces in power (in this case, Secret Service and those that oversee them/the WH) not responding to shifting norms in realistic and fitting ways (ie large ball with heads of state in a hotel where anyone checked in could have had a bomb...but this event has always happened/is likely fine etc); 5. Weird sub level/divided public discourse (ie - why Patel was named, specially, as not a target, and no obvious answer, but lots of people with ideas based on whichever sub discourse world they exist within); 6. Normalization of such things, such as focusing on "what are the specific details of the shooter, that will explain it!" ie that it was specific and identifiable and solve-able - or "we need a new ballroom!" or "the parties had to continue afterwards as life goes on" or "how to do the same things moving forward but with a better security perimeter" - etc.

Such a notable moment in the history of our country.

 

[SouthAussie]

True, but the state dinners you're talking about have nothing to do with last night's event. I'm confused by the correlation. Having the ballroom would have done nothing to prevent what happened last night as the event is not a state-sanctioned event. It's a private event, hosted by and in honor of the media.

MOO.

I don't know why so many of the top officials were there. Sitting in a row up on a raised dais.

One would think with the US (world) problems in Iran that the leaders would not be appearing at any event all together, and positioned in such a way as to be susceptible to a potential assassin.

imo

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

How would you envision providing a government owned ball room in the peoples' house for private use by for instance the WHCD?

It would be rented, we would use taxpayers money to administer the rental, provide security, provide catering, etc? Would it be constantly for rent throughout the year?

Where did that come from? I've not read anything about it being it available as a rental!

It's for the same purpose of the current (too small) halls/rooms that are used for all the functions/state dinners/ceremonies etc, since 1874!
Here are the Obama's hosting a crowded state dinner in 2011.
That's what the complaint has been for years. No event space to accomodate events.

<modsnip: no lonk to photo.>

 

[MarciB]

True, but the state dinners you're talking about have nothing to do with last night's event. I'm confused by the correlation. Having the ballroom would have done nothing to prevent what happened last night as the event is not a state-sanctioned event. It's a private event, hosted by and in honor of the media.

MOO.

Trump or any other President will still attend many events, fundraisers, campaign rallies, dinners, political group annual meetings (e.g. Turning Point or CPAC). very few of these would actually take place at the White House.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

How would you envision providing a government owned ball room in the peoples' house for private use by for instance the WHCD?

It would be rented, we would use taxpayers money to administer the rental, provide security, provide catering, etc? Would it be constantly for rent throughout the year?

The WHCD isn't a great example since I doubt it would ever be held there. The whole point of the WHCD is to rejoice in a free press. Having it on the grounds of the WH and paying the government to use it would have ethical implications. I imagine a lot of private events would be in the same situation. I imagine the only events that will be held in the ballroom would be state-run events.

MOO.

 

[MarciB]

I don't know why so many of the top officials were there. Sitting in a row up on a raised dais.

One would think with the US (world) problems in Iran that the leaders would not be appearing at any event all together, and positioned in such a way as to be susceptible to a potential assassin.

imo

that's how the WHCD has always been set up, but yes, you'd think any event with a president or veep in attendance would have a much higher level of security

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Reading that manifesto just made me angry. How ironic he's at an event with all the media who report all the things this "man" outlined for reasons that he was doing this.

I sure hope this might impact some of those journalists so they consider how they report on things and what others might get from it. Just maybe being in a room that is that close to being shot up will help them realize their reporting can have very real consequences for others.

Good thing he didn't decide to wear an IED and run in there like he did. He could have really harmed everyone in that building and he got close enough to do it.

The reporters didn't cause this. They are victims in this scenario, just like everyone else. Only one person is at fault here and that's Cole Allen.

MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Trump or any other President will still attend many events, fundraisers, campaign rallies, dinners, political group annual meetings (e.g. Turning Point or CPAC). very few of these would actually take place at the White House.

Very good point. And I believe there are laws that would prevent the events you mentioned from ever being at the WH, ballroom or not. So the ballroom isn't the answer. The Secret Service has to find a way to protect him when he's out and about.

MOO.

 

[lonetraveler]

Is this the 2nd assassination attempt on President Trump? I don't believe any other United States President has had, and survived 2 assassination attempts.

I believe it is the third attempt.