How Cole Allen planned the Trump assassination attempt: a manifesto, a room at the Hilton and a loaded arsenal

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a resident of Torrance, California, planned well in advance the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last Saturday, April 25. Court documents declassified Monday reveal a premeditated operation that began months before the attack and that Allen executed step by step with the determination of someone who had mentally rehearsed every move. However, the outcome was a disaster for him: captured quickly, failing to meet any of his priority targets under his infamous manifesto and potentially facing a life sentence if found guilty.

A reservation and a train ride

On April 6, three weeks before the dinner, Allen made a reservation for three nights at the Washington Hilton, the same hotel where the event would be held. Trump had announced on Truth Social in March that he had accepted the invitation to attend the dinner, so it was common knowledge where the president would be.

On April 21, all set, Allen left Los Angeles by train for Chicago, where he arrived two days later. From there, he boarded a second train to Washington. He arrived in the capital on Friday, April 24, around 1 p.m. local time and checked into the Hilton, where he took up residence in a room on the tenth floor. According to authorities, he had with him a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a Rock Island Armory .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol and three knives. The guns had been purchased legally in California. The pistol in October 2023 and the shotgun in August 2025. His sister confirmed to investigators that his parents did not know he had them. It is still unclear whether the purchase of these weapons, quite some time ago, was part of his plan to attempt to assassinate the president.

The Manifesto

Minutes before the attack, Allen sent a scheduled email to family members and a former employer. He titled it "Apology and Explanation" and detailed what he was about to do. According to the FBI affidavit, Allen wrote that his targets were senior Trump administration officials, "not including Mr. Patel"—referring to FBI Director Kash Patel—and were "prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest." Regarding Secret Service agents, he wrote they were targets "only if necessary, and to be incapacitated non-lethally if possible." Allen signed the email "Cole 'coldForce' 'Friendly Federal Assassin' Allen." Additional writings were also found in his hotel room at the Hilton and at his home in Torrance.

The attack

At 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Allen descended from the 10th floor, where his room was located, to the hotel's rooftop level, where the security checkpoint leading to the ballroom was located. He ran through the magnetometer holding the shotgun. Secret Service personnel heard a gunshot. One officer was shot in the chest and his bulletproof vest saved his life. The officer drew his weapon and fired several shots at Allen, who fell to the ground and suffered minor injuries without being hit by any projectiles. He was eventually arrested on the spot.

Acting attorney general Todd Blanche indicated that law enforcement fired a total of five times, although it is still being investigated whether it was Allen or the agent who wounded the officer with the bulletproof vest.

Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several cabinet members were evacuated from the ballroom immediately. None were injured. Many of those present, as seen in videos on social media, reacted in different ways: some jumped under tables, others ran, and some simply stayed in their seats enjoying the food and drink.

Shock in Torrance

In the neighborhood where Allen lived with his parents, the news was genuinely devastating. Those who knew him, according to a report by ABC7 Los Angeles, described him as a "shy, intelligent, lonely young man." He held a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech and a master’s degree in computer science from California State University. He tutored students for college entrance exams at C2 Education, where he was named "Teacher of the Month" in 2024.

However, Allen's online life was very different. According to ABC News, on a now-deleted Bluesky account he shared posts condemning Trump's policies on Iran, Ukraine and ICE. His voting records listed him as having "no party preference," though in 2024 he donated a handful of dollars to a super PAC on behalf of Kamala Harris.

Now Allen, who was leading a quiet and relatively normal life until a few days ago, had to appear in federal court in Washington, already dressed in his trademark blue prison jumpsuit. He was formally charged with three counts: attempted murder of the president of the United States, a charge punishable by life imprisonment, transporting firearms in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a weapon during a violent crime.

Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro anticipated additional charges to come. Allen did not enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.