WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors have added a terrorism charge against Cole Tomas Allen, the California man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., in April.
A five-count superseding indictment filed on November 12, 2026, and unsealed on Friday, November 13, adds one count of committing an act of terrorism while armed under District of Columbia law, based on the attempted first-degree murder of the president. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the new charge alongside the FBI Washington Field Office. The indictment alleges Allen, 31, attempted to kill Trump to influence government policy through intimidation and coercion and to intimidate civilians across the United States.
Prosecutors say Allen reserved a room at the Washington Hilton weeks before the April 25 dinner and traveled by train from California to Washington carrying firearms and ammunition. Before the shooting, he allegedly sent messages to relatives and a former employer criticizing Trump administration policies and identifying government officials as potential targets. One message described him as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” according to court documents.
During the event, Allen allegedly rushed through a Secret Service security checkpoint with a shotgun and fired while heading toward the ballroom where Trump and senior administration officials were gathered. A Secret Service officer was struck in the chest but survived because of a bullet-resistant vest. The officer returned fire, and Allen was arrested. Trump was unharmed.
Allen was previously indicted on four counts: attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal officer 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. The new terrorism count joins those charges and introduces additional sentencing exposure under D.C. law, including provisions addressing offenses committed while armed. A conviction on the federal assassination charge already carries a possible life sentence.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to the original charges and has not yet entered a plea on the terrorism count. He remains in federal custody. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden has scheduled jury selection for September 7, 2027, with the trial expected to last three to four weeks, and a hearing is scheduled for December 4. An indictment is a formal accusation, and Allen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
