Trump Assassination Attempt Suspect Enters Plea, Seeks to Get Acting AG and Jeanine Pirro Disqualified
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, pleaded not guilty in federal court too charges he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer during an April 25 incident at the Washington Hilton. Allen appeared in court in an orange jail uniform and did not speak; attorneys entered the plea for him.
His lawyers asked Judge Trevor McFadden to disqualify at least two senior Justice Department officials from the case, arguing they may be potential victims or witnesses and that this creates a conflict of interest. The judge did not rule promptly but asked the defense to explain the scope of the requested recusal. Defense attorneys said they may seek to disqualify the entire office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Prosecutors allege Allen arrived at the hotel armed with multiple weapons-including a shotgun, a loaded handgun, knives, and ammunition-while officials connected to the Trump governance and conservative legal figures were at the dinner.During the attack, a Secret Service officer was shot onc in a bullet-resistant vest but suffered no fatal injury; Allen was injured but not shot. He has an upcoming court appearance on June 29 and faces a potential life sentence if convicted on the attempted assassination charge alone.
After his arrest, Allen was placed on suicide watch, though jail officials later removed him from that status. His attorneys also complained about conditions of confinement, and a federal magistrate reportedly apologized during a May 4 hearing for how he was treated.
The man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who tried to stop the attack.
Cole Tomas Allen was handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orange jail uniform when he appeared in federal court for his arraignment. Allen didn’t speak during the brief hearing. One of his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf.
Allen’s lawyers are asking U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to disqualify at least two top Justice Department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.
BREAKING: Cole Allen, who was charged with attempting to ass*ssinate President Trump, pleads “not guilty” in federal court pic.twitter.com/D5rgg92nDr
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 11, 2026
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro were attending the event when Allen ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer, authorities said.
Defense attorney Eugene Ohm said the defense likely would seek to disqualify Pirro’s entire office from involvement in the case.
Federal prosecutors allege Allen arrived at the hotel armed with a shotgun, a loaded handgun, knives and ammunition while Republican attorneys general, Trump administration officials and conservative legal figures gathered for the dinner at the hotel. https://t.co/zFniT0Pm63
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) May 11, 2026
McFadden didn’t rule from the bench on that question but asked Allen’s attorneys to elaborate on the possible scope of their recusal request.
A Secret Service officer was shot once in a bullet-resistant vest during the April 25 attack at at the Washington Hilton, which disrupted and ultimately prompted an early end to one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.
Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was injured but was not shot.
Allen is scheduled to return to court on June 29.
Besides the attempted assassination count, Allen also is charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of the attempted assassination charge alone.
Allen was placed on suicide watch after his arrest, but jail officials removed him from that status after several days.
Allen’s attorneys complained that he had been unnecessarily confined in a padded room with constant lighting, repeatedly strip searched and placed in restraints outside his cell.
During a May 4 hearing, a federal magistrate actually apologized to Allen for his treatment by authorities.
🚨 INSANE! Of course, a foreign-born judge with zero real allegiance to America apologizes to the alleged Trump assassin Cole Allen.
These people hate everything we stand for, but demand all her benefits, protections, and power.
Rogue judges like this have no business on the… pic.twitter.com/Zo08xqss7D
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) May 4, 2026
Allen told FBI agents that he didn’t expect to survive the attack, which could help explain why he was deemed to be a possible suicide risk, a Justice Department prosecutor said.
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