Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old California man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington on Saturday night, sent a written manifesto to his family members roughly ten minutes before the attack, outlining his intention to target senior officials in the Trump administration, according to multiple federal law enforcement sources.
The note stated that administration officials were targets, ranked from highest to lowest in seniority, and expressed rage at what Allen described as the actions of the current administration. Allen wrote that he did not expect forgiveness.
The timeline of when the family received the manifesto and when they reported it to authorities remains under active investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). One source indicated the family did not read or report the writings to local law enforcement until after the incident had already taken place, while another source said the matter was still being clarified.
Allen’s sister, speaking separately to the Secret Service and Montgomery County police, said her brother had long shown a tendency toward radical statements and frequently spoke of doing something to address what he saw as deep problems with the current state of the country. She also confirmed that Allen had purchased two handguns and a shotgun, which he stored at the family home without their knowledge.
Investigators found that Allen purchased a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025, both legally acquired through the required federal background check system.
Allen had become involved in political activism in recent years, including attending a protest in California and joining a left-wing group called The Wide Awakes, named after an abolitionist movement from the 1860s. Federal Election Commission records show he donated to a political action committee supporting Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race.
Allen was captured on surveillance footage charging through metal detectors outside the ballroom. A Secret Service officer struck by gunfire was protected by a bulletproof vest and has since been discharged from hospital.
Allen is facing charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday in federal district court, with the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia signalling that further charges are expected as the investigation continues.
The White House Correspondents’ Association said its board would convene to assess the incident and determine how to proceed, with WHCA President Weijia Jiang describing the events as a harrowing moment for everyone present and expressing gratitude to the Secret Service for their response.
