Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old California man charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner last Saturday, is “no longer on suicide status” at the Correctional Treatment Facility at the D.C. jail complex, according to a court filing submitted Sunday.
Allen’s federal public defenders withdrew an earlier motion seeking his removal from suicide status, telling the court the request is now moot. The filing comes as the high-profile federal case against Allen continues to unfold, with significant new evidence emerging in recent days about the shooting at the Washington Hilton.
The Context
The court filing offers a brief but notable update in one of the most closely watched federal prosecutions of the year. Allen faces life in prison if convicted of the attempted assassination count alone, and his defense team has signaled it may eventually press for his release before trial.
The status of his mental health while in custody is also a matter of legal significance, as it could affect future proceedings, evaluations, and any potential defense strategies.
What the Filing Says
The filing was submitted by Assistant Federal Public Defenders Tezira Abe and Eugene Ohm. It asks U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya to vacate a hearing previously scheduled for May 4 at 12 p.m.
The court document does not specify what prompted the original suicide status designation, when it was applied, or what circumstances led to its removal.
The Charges Against Allen
Allen has been charged with attempted assassination of the president under 18 U.S.C. § 1751(c), as well as two additional firearms counts—including discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. He has agreed to remain jailed while awaiting trial and has not yet entered a plea, according to court documents.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro confirmed that a buckshot from Allen’s Mossberg pump-action shotgun struck a Secret Service officer’s bullet-resistant vest during the April 25 attack.
“We now can establish that a pellet that came from the buckshot from the defendant’s Mossberg pump-action shotgun was intertwined with the fiber of the vest of the Secret Service officer,” Pirro said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “It is definitively his bullet.”
Allen was injured during the incident but was not shot. The officer survived.
Defense Pushes Back
Allen’s defense team has argued in earlier court filings the government’s case is “based upon inferences drawn about Mr. Allen’s intent that raise more questions than answers” and noted his writings never mentioned Trump by name.
“The government’s evidence of the charged offense—the attempted assassination of the president—is thus built entirely upon speculation, even under the most generous reading of its theory,” defense lawyers wrote.
The defense agreed during a brief court hearing last Thursday to keep Allen behind bars for now but left the door open to pressing for his release in the future.
Who Is Cole Allen?
Allen is from Torrance, California, and worked as a part-time tutor for a test preparation company. He is an amateur video game developer who earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 and a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025.
Authorities have said Allen sent a manifesto to family members minutes before the attack in which he identified himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and laid out grievances against the Trump administration.
Surveillance footage of the attack shows Allen sprinting through a security checkpoint, which had a metal detector, and past security guards. The WHCA dinner was being held one floor below in the ballroom, from where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members were safely evacuated.
What Happens Next
Allen is scheduled to appear in federal court again in the coming weeks as the case proceeds through pretrial hearings. Investigators have said the probe remains ongoing, and court proceedings could determine whether additional charges are filed as more forensic and ballistic analysis is completed.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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