Conflict in Iran may have motivated suspect in shooting during White House event - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
U.S. intelligence services believe the conflict with Iran was Cole Allen's motive for the assassination attempt on Trump. The suspect had criticized Washington's actions on social media.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has identified the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran as a possible motive for the man accused of an attempted assassination of President Donald Trump and high-ranking officials of his administration during a White House correspondents' gala, according to an intelligence report sent to state and local law enforcement and other federal agencies. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
A preliminary assessment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis dated April 27 notes that the suspect, Cole Allen, had "numerous social and political grievances." The report concluded that the conflict with Iran "could have contributed to his decision to carry out the attack," citing his social media posts where he criticized U.S. actions in the war.
This assessment sheds new light on the investigation into the motives behind the failed attack attempt at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 25. The document notes that the conflict with Iran, in which thousands of people have died and which has impacted the global economy, could have been a trigger.
The report, labeled as a "Critical Incident Note," was obtained through open records requests by the non-governmental organization Property of the People and shared with Reuters.
Representatives of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the FBI either did not respond or declined to comment.
Earlier, the U.S. Department of Justice added charges of assaulting a federal agent, accusing Allen of firing at a U.S. Secret Service employee at a checkpoint, as well as attempted murder, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal interstate transportation of weapons and ammunition. He has not yet entered a plea.
U.S. law enforcement officials said Allen sent an email to relatives on the night of the attack, characterized as a manifesto, in which he expressed anger toward the administration and mentioned an intent to target a "traitor" who was scheduled to give a speech, without naming Trump.
Court documents state that Allen "disagreed" with Trump politically and wanted to "fight back" against government policies he deemed unacceptable.
The FBI is conducting a detailed analysis of his social media activity and digital footprint in search of a motive for the attack, a senior law enforcement official told Reuters.
The review includes an analysis of posts on the Bluesky social network linked to Allen, where anti-Trump messages, criticism of U.S. actions regarding Iran, as well as remarks regarding the Trump administration, Elon Musk, and Russia's war against Ukraine were published.
The FBI also reviewed a 2024 post in which an account linked to Allen, quoting a biblical verse, allegedly calls Trump the "devil" in response to a message from Trump's daughter Tiffany.
The focus on Allen's online activity is partly aimed at preventing conspiracy theories regarding the motives and internet activity of the suspected shooter, the official said, adding that similar speculation regarding the online activity of the man who shot at Trump during a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, had already spawned massive conspiracy theories.
Reminder
On May 4, a shooting occurred near the White House during a speech by Donald Trump. The Secret Service wounded the suspect.