Cole Allen pleads not guilty to attempting to assassinate Trump

Allen allegedly stormed the security checkpoint at a D.C. hotel, where Trump was attending the White House Correspodents Association dinner, last month.

Published: May 11, 2026 10:14am

Cole Allen, the suspect whom authorities have charged with allegedly attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty on Monday.

Allen allegedly stormed the security checkpoint at a D.C. hotel, where Trump was attending the White House Correspodents Association dinner, last month.

His defense has also indicated they may seek to disqualify the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office from the case if U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro were involved, given her attendance at the event, The Hill reported.

Trump was not harmed during the incident, which marked the third serious assassination attempt against him. In 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks was killed by Secret Service after wounding Trump in the ear. Ryan Routh later attempted to ambush Trump while golfing, but was chased off by Secret Service and apprehended.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

The Facts Inside Our Reporter's Notebook

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News