Cole Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, made his first appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on the 27th and was formally charged with attempted assassination of President Trump, interstate transportation of weapons, and use of a firearm during a violent crime.
Judge Szabo ordered Allen to remain in custody pending trial, with a hearing scheduled for the 30th of this month to decide whether to continue his detention.
According to U.S. media reports, if convicted, Allen faces life imprisonment on the charge of attempted assassination of the president alone.
At a news conference held later, Acting Attorney General Blanche defended the security measures at the dinner, claiming that law enforcement did not fail in their duties and that security performed as expected.
He said, “We should also recognize the things that did not happen. Law enforcement did not fail... they acted completely in accordance with their training. This was not an accident.”
White House spokesperson Leavitt stated that Chief of Staff Wiles will convene senior officials from the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security this week to assess plans for ensuring Trump's safety at major events.
This summer, the U.S. will witness a series of large-scale events, including the Soccer World Cup and the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner was held on the 25th in the underground banquet hall of the Washington Hilton Hotel, attended by President Trump and his wife, Vice President Vance, and other political figures. Surveillance footage showed Allen quickly rushing through the hotel's security checkpoint with a firearm. Security personnel drew their weapons and pursued, and a shootout ensued. Allen was subdued in the hallway outside the banquet hall; police confiscated a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.
According to U.S. media reports, Allen checked in at the hotel several days in advance and, about ten minutes before the incident, sent an email to his family, mockingly stating that the hotel's security flaws were unbelievable.