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Courts & Justice · Report · File No. 261113-925

Grand jury adds attempted terrorism charge against Correspondents' Dinner suspect

Cole Tomas Allen, accused of opening fire at the April 25 dinner, now faces five counts, including a D.C. terrorism charge. A trial is set for September 2027.

By the Courts Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (1) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Jeanine Pirro
Jeanine Pirro. Photo: United States Department of Justice, Public domain

A federal grand jury has added an attempted terrorism charge against Cole Tomas Allen, the man arrested and accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 25. Allen now faces five counts in all. The top charge is attempting to assassinate the president of the United States 1.

Allen pleaded not guilty earlier in connection with the April 25 incident. He has not yet entered a plea to the new charge 1. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted.

A local law, not a federal one

There is no federal domestic terrorism law that broadly outlaws acts of terrorism. Allen is instead charged under a local Washington, D.C., terrorism law 1. The same D.C. law was used against Floyd Fee Corkins, who was convicted of attacking the Family Research Council in 2012 1.

The U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia is unusual. It prosecutes federal crimes and most local crimes involving adult defendants. The president appoints its head, who is now Jeanine Pirro, a former judge and Fox News host 1.

If Allen is convicted, prosecutors could potentially seek a federal terrorism sentencing enhancement. That is a rule that can lengthen a prison term 1.

What prosecutors say happened

Prosecutors allege Allen tried to kill President Trump. They say he charged through a Secret Service checkpoint carrying a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol, multiple knives and daggers, and a large amount of ammunition 1. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were rushed off the stage at the Washington Hilton ballroom 1.

Authorities also allege that Allen scheduled emails to be sent to his family, friends and a former employer explaining his actions 1.

Allen was first indicted in May on four counts. They were trying to kill the president, assaulting a U.S. officer or employee with a deadly weapon, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence 2. Investigators said at the time that one Secret Service agent was struck but wore a bulletproof vest and was expected to recover 2.

Jeanine Pirro
there is evidence this defendant intended to assassinate the president.
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Republican appointee2

What happens next

A status conference, a routine check-in with the judge, is set for Dec. 4. A jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 7, 2027, before U.S. Judge Trevor N. McFadden 1.

That matters because the case is about more than one defendant. An armed attack at an event where the president, the vice president and the press were gathered is a test of how the justice system handles political violence. Whatever one thinks of any politician, violence is not a way to settle political disputes, and the courts, not the street, should decide guilt.

The new charge will also draw close attention to how prosecutors in Washington use local law when no broad federal terrorism statute exists. We did not find a statement from Democratic lawmakers on the new charge in the reports we reviewed. We will update this story if one comes.

The Record

  1. Gunfire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton; Trump and Vance were rushed off the stage 1.
  2. A grand jury indicts Cole Tomas Allen on four federal counts, including attempting to kill the president 2.
  3. A grand jury adds an attempted terrorism count under D.C. law, bringing the total to five 1.
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Sources

  1. NBC News, “Feds add D.C. terrorism charge for White House Correspondents' Dinner gunman” (2026-11-13). nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/feds-add-dc-terroris
  2. ABC6 On Your Side, “Man accused of Trump assassination attempt indicted on federal charges” (2026-05-05). abc6onyourside.com/news/nation-world/man-accused-of-trump-as

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