Once again, someone has tried and failed to assassinate Donald Trump. The latest addition to this ever-growing Hall of Infamy is 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California.
Allen attempted to single-handedly storm the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, with footage showing him sprinting past security checkpoints and towards the ballroom where Trump, Melania, multiple senior administration officials, and countless journalists and dignitaries were seated.
He exchanged gunfire with Secret Service and law enforcement, with one officer struck in the chest, but surviving due to his bullet-resistant vest. Allen was, rather impressively, not immediately riddled with bullets, but was arrested at the scene without injury.
He was taken into custody, briefly hospitalized for evaluation, and is currently being held by DC police ahead of a federal court appearance, and will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars, having achieved nothing but disrupting a black tie dinner.
It’s safe to say Allen has few fans this morning, as trying and failing to kill the President of the United States isn’t exactly the fast lane to popularity. But, in a bizarre twist, he received a compliment from an unexpected source: Trump himself.
“His speed was rather incredible”
While discussing the incident, Trump marveled at Allen’s speed, indicating that if the guy hadn’t tried to kill him, he could have been a candidate for the NFL:
Trump on suspected WHCA gunman Cole Allen: "I think the NFL should sign him up. He was fast." pic.twitter.com/N9q3m5ygxs
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 26, 2026
“His speed was rather incredible. Well, actually, he was like a blur. … Some of these people may be crazy but they’re not stupid and they figure things out. He ran 45 yards and he just went to it and then – boom – he popped through. And then he ran and… I think the NFL should sign him up, he was fast! When you look at it on tape it’s almost like a blur!”
Allen won’t be playing for the NFL anytime soon, or any other kind of sport for that matter. Instead, he’s destined to enjoy decades behind bars in a federal prison, especially if (as is looking likely) he’ll be officially charged with attempting to kill the President, which is punishable by life imprisonment without parole.
Trying to kill Donald Trump is essentially also ending your own life, whether that be via dying in a hail of bullets or being consigned to a miserable and monotonous existence behind bars. It’s also exposing your family and friends to intense media scrutiny. Despite this, many clearly see it as a worthwhile sacrifice, so I doubt this will be the last time someone decides to take a shot at Trump.
Published: Apr 27, 2026 04:57 am