Washington: Senior U.S. officials have identified President Donald Trump and his staff as the primary targets of a gunman in an attempted attack at the White House Correspondents' Association banquet Saturday night. The U.S. president took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of creating a secure ballroom within the White House.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident occurred when Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, attempted to storm the annual White House Correspondents' Association banquet at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., Saturday night. He was apprehended by Security Guards after firing several shots at close range. Some of the officers, wearing bulletproof vests, survived. A chaotic scene ensued as Security Guards quickly escorted President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and several cabinet members out of the banquet. All are reported safe.
Recently, Todd Blanch, Acting Attorney General, revealed the latest progress in the investigation, stating that so far, there is no evidence to suggest that the gunman at the White House Correspondents' Association party had accomplices or acted alone. Authorities worked throughout the night to execute search warrants at both the suspect's hotel room in the Washington Hilton and his residence in Torrance. He added that the suspect's motive remains under investigation, but initial findings indicate he targeted government officials, possibly including the President. He also confirmed that the security system was effective, the Secret Service protected them, and the suspect was apprehended and subdued within seconds of attempting to breach security cordon.
Information regarding the suspect, including social media posts, indicates he previously worked as a teacher at a tutoring institute in Torrance and as a game developer. During the incident, he was heavily armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives. He is scheduled to appear in federal court today, local time, to face formal charges of assaulting a federal agent and using firearms in a violent crime.
President Trump, in a phone interview on Fox News' "The Sunday Briefing," stated that the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association party on Saturday night was mentally ill and full of hatred. He added that reading the suspect's statements revealed his hatred of Christians, and that reports indicated his sister or brother had previously complained to authorities about his behavior. Therefore, the suspect was a very problematic individual.
Earlier, Trump held a press conference at the White House on Sunday night, stating that he believed he was the primary target of the attack. He also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of building a secure ballroom within the White House, later posting on the Truth Social platform. He wrote that Saturday night's events clearly demonstrated why there has been a demand for a larger and more secure ballroom within the White House grounds. He stated that the incident would never have happened if there were a top-secret, military-grade ballroom currently under construction at the White House. He regretted that it couldn't be built sooner, as it would not only be beautiful but also equipped with the highest level of security. Furthermore, it wouldn't have hotel rooms on top for unauthorized access, and it would be situated within the walls of the world's most secure building, the White House.
This project was just approved by the Washington Planning Board on April 2, only two days after a judge had issued an order to halt construction without congressional approval. The approving body is chaired by a former Trump lawyer. The construction site covers over 8,400 square meters and will cost $400 million (nearly 13 billion baht), which Trump stated would be funded privately and would be a significant landmark during his presidency.