WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month, pleaded not guilty to four federal charges on Monday.
Okay News reports that Allen appeared in a Washington, D.C. federal court shackled at the hands and feet. The indictment follows an April 26 incident where prosecutors say Allen stormed a security checkpoint at the hotel hosting the dinner while armed with loaded firearms and knives. At the time of the breach, President Trump and top officials were on a different floor of the venue.
The hearing was marked by a tense exchange between defense attorneys and U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden. Allen’s legal team filed a motion seeking to recuse U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche from the case. The defense argued that because both officials were present at the dinner and were potential targets, they should be considered victims and therefore cannot lead the prosecution.
Judge McFadden appeared skeptical of the request, noting that neither official witnessed the security breach. “I’d be very surprised if they were victims in any legal sense,” McFadden remarked, though he instructed prosecutors to file a formal response regarding whether Pirro and Blanche are classified as victims in the investigation.
Allen faces several grave counts, including attempting to assassinate a president and assaulting an officer. The court has scheduled the next hearing for June 29, as the legal battle over the prosecution’s leadership continues to unfold.
