SPECIAL REPORT: DOJ holds briefing after White House Correspondent dinner shooting

[0:00] This is an ABC News special report. [0:03] Now reporting, David Muir. [0:06] Good afternoon, everyone. [0:07] We're coming on the air for a Justice Department briefing [0:08] concerning the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C. [0:12] We're going to be hearing right now from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. [0:15] Let's listen. [0:16] That act, that horrible act, was stopped because of the courage and professionalism of law enforcement. [0:24] The officers who responded without hesitation and did their jobs as they were trained to do. [0:32] Secret Service agents promptly tackled and detained the suspect, Cole Thomas Allen. [0:40] The president and all the protectees and participants at the dinner were safe. [0:47] One brave officer was injured and is receiving care and has been released from the hospital. [0:53] I want to make this clear. [0:56] This man was a floor above the ballroom with hundreds of federal agents [1:04] between him and the president of the United States. [1:10] The Department of Justice approaches incidents like this with urgency and clarity of purpose. [1:17] Violence has no place in civic life. [1:21] It cannot and will not be used to disrupt democratic institutions [1:25] or intimidate those who serve them, [1:28] and it certainly cannot continue to be used against the president of the United States. [1:32] We are investigating this matter fully. [1:38] We will apply the law fairly and we will ensure that accountability is swift and certain. [1:44] But we also should recognize what did not happen. [1:48] Law enforcement did not fail. [1:51] They did exactly what they are trained to do. [1:53] This was not an accident. [1:56] It was the result, as we know now, of preparation. [2:00] But the men and women who protected us that night were trained, professional, [2:06] and had an enduring commitment to the rule of law. [2:11] Today, the Department of Justice filed three federal charges [2:14] in United States District Court against Cole Thomas Allen. [2:19] The first count is attempted assassination of the president of the United States. [2:24] This count is punishable by up to life in prison. [2:27] The second count is interstate transportation of a firearm to commit a felony. [2:33] This is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. [2:36] And the third count is discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, [2:40] which is punishable by a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, [2:44] a maximum of life, and the 10 years is consecutive to any other sentence imposed. [2:51] Just to go through very quickly the timeline, which many of you in this room already know, [2:58] the defendant, Allen, made a hotel reservation at the Washington Hilton for April 24th through April 26th. [3:06] On April 21st of this year, he traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then from Chicago to Washington, D.C. [3:18] On April 24th, he arrived in Washington, D.C. at approximately 1 o'clock in the afternoon and checked into the Washington Hilton. [3:28] Approximately at 8.40 on the night of April 25th, [3:34] Allen approached the security checkpoint on the terrace level of the hotel, [3:38] which was, again, a floor above where the dinner was taking place. [3:41] He ran through the magnumometer holding a long gun. [3:46] As he did so, U.S. Secret Service personnel assigned to the checkpoint heard a loud gunshot. [3:52] One Secret Service officer was shot in the chest but was wearing a ballistic vest that worked. [4:00] This heroic officer who was hit fired five times at Allen, [4:04] who was not shot but fell to the ground and was promptly arrested. [4:09] I want to thank everybody who worked tirelessly on Saturday, Sunday, and continuing today. [4:18] This includes members of the FBI, and Director Patel is going to address that in a minute. [4:23] It includes members of the Metropolitan Police Department who were immediately on the scene, [4:28] the chief, the mayor, to make sure that law enforcement was available to do their jobs [4:33] and had all the tools they needed to do so. [4:35] And lastly, the United States Attorney's Office here in D.C., [4:40] our U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and her team. [4:43] A prosecutor stayed up all night long, didn't sleep all day yesterday, [4:48] making sure that we got what we needed from all over the country. [4:51] It included search warrants in California, search warrants here in D.C., [4:55] multiple interviews that have been conducted already of witnesses [4:59] and of family members of the charged individual and continue to work hard today. [5:05] This investigation is ongoing. It's not complete. [5:09] A lot of the information that the media is hearing through leaks or sources, [5:14] some of it is true, some of it is not true, [5:17] and at the right time, you will hear information from us as appropriate. [5:21] I'd like to ask our U.S. Attorney, Jeanine Pirro, to say a few words [5:24] and then followed by Director Patel. Thank you. [5:27] Thank you, Mr. Attorney General. [5:35] Cole Allen's journey of accountability in the criminal justice system starts today. [5:42] Todd Blanche just indicated to you the charges. [5:45] Those charges are only three charges that are in the complaint [5:50] that has been presented in federal district court about an hour ago. [5:54] There will be additional charges as this investigation continues to unfold. [5:59] But make no mistake, this was an attempted assassination of the President of the United States [6:08] with the defendant making clear what his intent was, [6:11] and that intent was to bring down as many of the high-ranking Cabinet officials as he could. [6:18] This is the kind of situation that we cannot tolerate. [6:24] And as the Attorney General has just indicated, it could have been so much worse, [6:30] but for the reality that we had the Secret Service, [6:34] as well as the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. [6:39] Now, the facts make it very clear what this intent was. [6:44] You may recall that it was on March 2nd that the President indicated [6:48] that he would be attending this public event at the Hilton. [6:53] And on April 6th, that's when Cole Allen first made a hotel reservation [7:00] at the Washington Hilton for three nights, the 24th, the 25th, and the 26th. [7:06] It was on April 21st that he traveled all the way from the West Coast from his home near L.A. [7:16] He gets to Chicago on April 23rd and has been indicated he arrives in D.C. on the 24th [7:24] and he checks into the hotel at about 3 p.m. [7:27] He stays overnight. [7:31] He is very much aware that the President and the First Lady entered the ballroom at 8 p.m. [7:38] And it was at 8.40 that he made a decision to rush the ballroom. [7:44] And thank goodness, law enforcement, the Secret Service, [7:49] was able to prevent him from getting into that ballroom. [7:53] He was not injured other than some kind of scrape on his knee. [7:58] Now, as indicated, these are the weapons that the defendant had on his person. [8:04] You can see that's a 12-gauge pub-action Mossberg shotgun. [8:08] It's a .38 semi-automatic. [8:11] He had at least three knives and all kinds of paraphernalia. [8:14] So any suggestion that he wasn't there to do harm is absurd. [8:22] We will prove when he purchased these guns, they were purchased in California. [8:28] Why is that relevant? [8:29] It is relevant because he crossed interstate lines with those firearms. [8:34] And those are the firearms that he used on the night of the 25th, [8:39] or attempted to use at the very least. [8:41] Now, the manifesto also makes clear about his expected rules of engagement. [8:48] You know, you can look at it and read it, and it may seem kind of la-la-la. [8:52] But at the end, make no mistake, he says, [8:55] I am targeting the administration officials. [8:59] They are my targets, and I'm prioritizing from the top down the highest ranking from the lowest. [9:06] And I will not hesitate to get involved in any kind of encounter with anyone who blocks me from the president. [9:13] Now, finally, let me say one thing. [9:18] Within days of the president nominating me to be the United States attorney for the District of Columbia, [9:23] I was at the scene of a double homicide, [9:26] where one Elias Rodriguez crossed state lines from Chicago with a firearm to commit a felony in the district. [9:34] He's now indicted for the murder of two individuals, [9:38] Leron Leshczynski and Sarah Milgram here in Washington. [9:41] Not long after that, another individual, Ramanala Lock and Wall, [9:46] crossed state lines again with a firearm with intent to commit a felony here in Washington. [9:52] He traveled from the state of Washington. [9:56] He is now indicted with the murder of Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guardsman, [10:00] and the attempted murder of National Guard Andrew Wolfe. [10:04] Today, we have Cole Allen, another individual, [10:08] charged with crossing state lines coming from California with a firearm [10:13] with the intent to commit a felony here in the district. [10:16] Let this be a message to anyone who thinks that Washington, D.C. [10:21] is the place to act out political violence. [10:24] And if you are willing to do so with a firearm and cross state lines, [10:29] we will find you, we will track your steps from the inception of your plan, [10:35] and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. [10:39] Washington, D.C. is not the place to travel to commit acts of violence. [10:43] The Constitution and the laws of the United States [10:46] permit us to register our views through our voices and our votes. [10:51] What they don't permit is making your views known through violence, [10:55] especially violence directed at the President of the United States. [11:00] This is anti-democratic at its core. [11:03] Thank you, Judge. [11:09] Excuse me. Thank you, General. [11:12] This one hits a little differently. [11:15] We were all there. [11:17] Many of you were there. [11:18] Many of you watching were there as well. [11:20] The President was there. [11:21] The Vice President was there. [11:23] The Cabinet was there. [11:24] And what you saw described by the General and the U.S. Attorney is absolutely true. [11:31] The President spoke on late Saturday evening with the message of unity [11:35] and the backing of law enforcement, [11:37] and we have followed through on that message of unity [11:39] and the effectuation of law enforcement across this country. [11:43] This FBI is grateful to the United States Secret Service, [11:46] the Department of Homeland Security, [11:48] and our interagency partners, including the Metropolitan Police Department, [11:51] for swiftly jumping into action. [11:52] All of us on there put us in a unique position, [11:56] but all of us also acted uniquely. [11:59] The Washington Field Office jumped into action immediately, [12:02] sending a mobile command center to the scene, [12:05] along with our evidence response technicians, [12:07] who showed up in speedy fashion to make sure we could collect the evidence [12:11] that the prosecutors and the department needed to make this announcement today. [12:15] Also on scene, you were told about the brave heroics [12:18] of the United States Secret Service and other members of law enforcement, [12:21] and that should be celebrated by every single American. [12:25] They did exactly what they were trained to do. [12:28] They stopped a massive attack from becoming even worse. [12:32] They stood in the way, they safeguarded America, [12:35] and they should be nothing but applauded for their bravery [12:37] and their dedication to their mission [12:39] and their selfless sacrifice to this country. [12:40] The FBI, along with standing up mobile command units, [12:44] evidence tech response team, and Washington SWAT on scene, [12:48] also established our NC3, our National Crisis Coordination Center, [12:51] almost immediately, and almost immediately in parallel, [12:54] we stood up our command center at the Washington Field Office [12:56] under ADEC Darren Cox's leadership. [13:00] Throughout the evening, we immediately began working with our Department of Justice partners [13:05] to find the evidence necessary, to effectuate the legal process necessary, [13:09] and enter into the suspect's room at the Washington Hilton successfully and lawfully [13:14] and obtain the relevant evidence for exploitation that was on scene. [13:18] Back at the headquarters division and the Washington Field Office, [13:22] we were coordinating a national-scale investigation [13:26] that literally spanded from coast to coast. [13:29] As you heard, FBI agents, along with the interagency, [13:31] were immediately dispatched to the suspect's home in California, [13:34] where we conducted interviews that provided critical information [13:37] about this horrific attack. [13:39] We also dispatched investigators and agents to New London, Connecticut, [13:43] where we conducted further interviews that provided necessary information [13:46] that you will find in this criminal complaint, [13:48] as the United States Attorney has just laid out. [13:51] While officers were working diligently through the night [13:53] to conduct those interviews, [13:55] we were also conducting interviews of witnesses on scene. [13:58] Those interviews are ongoing. [13:59] As you know, there was almost 2,000 people there. [14:02] We are sifting through and prioritizing who to talk to, [14:05] and we will get to each and every one of you [14:08] with any bit of relevant information. [14:10] Again, we ask everybody who has any relevant information, [14:13] like I did on Saturday night with the president, [14:15] 1-800-CALL-FBI. [14:17] Any piece of information is information we want to have and must receive. [14:21] On top of the on-scene response by this FBI, [14:26] the headquarters response, [14:27] and the Washington field office response, [14:29] the FBI flipped on its enterprise-wide response [14:33] to this critical incident. [14:34] What does that mean? [14:35] We dispatched fixed-wing assets across the country [14:37] so that we could immediately transport evidence [14:39] that was acquired in California and Connecticut [14:41] and sent it to our laboratories in Quantico for analysis. [14:44] We collected the shell casings on scene, [14:46] including the firearms and the weapons [14:47] that the judge talked about. [14:48] Those were also sent to our Quantico laboratories [14:51] for immediate analysis. [14:52] America should be proud that this FBI acted [14:54] with the urgency that was needed [14:56] for the moment that we had to answer. [14:58] The president rightly said [15:00] that we will act in a unified fashion, [15:02] and it's because of President Trump's leadership [15:04] and backing of the blue, [15:05] every single person in law enforcement [15:06] that I stood with [15:08] into late evening hours on Saturday, [15:10] early evening hours on Sunday, [15:11] and all day yesterday and today, [15:14] are thrilled to wear the badge [15:15] and defend this country. [15:17] Each and every one of them deserves our thanks, [15:19] and I encourage everyone listening [15:20] to go out there [15:21] and shake the hand of a federal agent [15:23] or a police officer and say thank you [15:25] for doing their job. [15:26] Thank you for training endlessly [15:27] to make sure they meet the mission requirements. [15:29] And for me, as a director of the FBI, [15:31] I want to thank our headquarters components [15:33] for working diligently with our prosecutors [15:34] and make sure that the American public knows [15:37] it's not just federal agents that do this works. [15:39] It's our intelligence analysts, [15:41] our support staff, our laboratories, [15:43] our fixed-wing assets, [15:44] our critical incident response groups, [15:45] our hostage rescue teams, [15:47] agents sprung into action, [15:48] got out of bed, [15:49] and haven't slept since. [15:51] These prosecutors haven't slept since, [15:52] and I promise you, [15:53] they're not going to be sleeping. [15:55] They are going to give you [15:56] every piece of evidence. [15:57] As the journal said, [15:59] we will make public, [16:00] when appropriate, [16:01] to protect the integrity [16:02] of this investigation [16:03] to make sure that due process is served [16:06] and we will meet the highest standards [16:07] of the Constitution as we always do. [16:09] And that is when we will continue [16:10] to disclose information. [16:12] I know the public has a yearning [16:13] for information, [16:14] but just remind yourself [16:16] of how much information [16:17] you have already received, [16:19] how transparent this administration has been. [16:21] In less than 48 hours, [16:23] you know almost every single thing we know. [16:26] And what we have not told you yet, [16:27] we will tell you in short order. [16:29] So once again, [16:29] from me, [16:30] as director of the FBI, [16:31] I want to thank the interagency, [16:33] I want to thank the United States Secret Service [16:34] and their director, [16:35] Mark Wayne Mullen, [16:36] the Secretary of Homeland Security, [16:38] the Attorney General [16:38] and the United States Attorney Pirro, [16:40] and Ada Cox [16:40] for springing into action [16:42] on a night [16:43] that should have been celebrating free speech, [16:45] but we will be doing it again shortly, [16:46] as the President said, [16:47] and we look forward to seeing you all there. [16:52] Pierre. [16:53] A few questions, please. [16:55] Beyond the evidence [16:57] and what the judge described as the manifesto, [17:00] what other evidence can you point to [17:02] that tells us that the President [17:04] was the primary target of the suspect? [17:07] So we're a day and a half [17:10] into the investigation. [17:11] As we talked about earlier, [17:13] we were able to get multiple devices [17:15] from various locations, [17:17] the hotel room [17:17] and also where he lived in California. [17:22] We have started that process. [17:24] There's nothing more [17:24] that would be appropriate [17:25] to share at this time [17:27] until we have thoroughly gone through it, [17:31] which we're doing, [17:31] and we'll share that information [17:33] as appropriate in the future. [17:36] Second question. [17:37] Go ahead. [17:37] Beyond the assassination attempts [17:39] against President Trump, [17:40] you had someone try to burn down [17:42] the mansion [17:43] where the governor lives in Pennsylvania. [17:45] You had those state lawmakers attacked in Minnesota. [17:49] You had two Israeli embassy staff members [17:52] murdered in the city here. [17:54] You had the Charlie Kirk assassination. [17:56] You had the National Guardsman killed in the city. [18:00] Can you, each of you, [18:01] describe the current threat environment [18:03] and what DOJ's stance is about it? [18:05] Well, you just described [18:06] the current threat environment [18:08] pretty accurately, [18:09] which is that the political violence [18:10] and rhetoric has got to stop. [18:13] And that's something President Trump said [18:15] right after the incident [18:16] on Saturday night. [18:17] It's something that Carolyn Leavitt [18:19] talked about a couple hours ago. [18:20] It is something that is, [18:21] when you have a president [18:22] who, and many people in this room, [18:25] if we're going to be honest about it, [18:26] have done it, has done it as well. [18:28] They're just as guilty [18:28] as a lot of people on X. [18:30] When you have reporters, [18:32] when you have media [18:33] just being overly critical [18:35] and calling the president [18:37] horrible names for no reason [18:39] and without evidence, [18:40] without proof, [18:41] it shouldn't surprise us [18:42] that this type of rhetoric takes place. [18:45] If you look at what, [18:46] at what it appears [18:47] that this defendant had in his past, [18:49] we're talking about somebody [18:50] who was college educated, [18:51] who has a job, [18:53] who was otherwise living his life. [18:55] And we'll find out more about him, [18:57] as I expect, [18:58] in the coming days and weeks. [19:00] But he chose to do what he did. [19:02] And so our threat environment is, [19:04] we are ready. [19:05] I mean, I'm not going to go through [19:06] what Director Patel just talked about [19:08] with the way we responded. [19:09] But this was something [19:10] that we will always be prepared for. [19:13] And it's sad that it has to happen, [19:15] but it's not a new thing, unfortunately. [19:18] Okay. [19:18] Have you been able to determine [19:21] whether the gunman fired shots? [19:24] If so, how many shots he fired? [19:26] And who exactly, [19:28] whose bullet hit the agent? [19:30] We're still, [19:31] we want to get that right. [19:32] So we're still looking at that. [19:34] It appears, [19:35] and I don't want to overstate, [19:37] because we are still looking at this, [19:38] that there were five shots [19:40] that law enforcement fired. [19:42] We are, [19:43] we have, [19:44] all the evidence is being examined [19:45] very carefully and expeditiously, [19:47] and we'll know more soon. [19:49] We do believe that, [19:50] as the complaint lays out, [19:52] that the suspect, [19:53] that the defendant fired out of his shotgun, [19:55] and we know that that happened. [19:57] But as far as getting into exacting ballistics, [20:00] I'm not going to do that today, [20:02] because it's still being looked at and finalized. [20:06] Thank you for taking my question. [20:07] And you personally have called [20:09] for a construction of this ballroom [20:11] at the White House. [20:12] The president has called for this as well. [20:14] Today, the National Trust president [20:16] put out a statement, [20:17] says that they're grateful [20:18] that everybody's okay. [20:20] But, and I quote, [20:21] we are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, [20:23] which endangers no one, [20:25] and which respectfully ask the administration [20:27] to follow the law. [20:28] Ballroom construction is continuing, [20:29] unabated until June 5th, [20:31] at the earliest, [20:32] because the injunction is on hold. [20:35] Where does the Justice Department go from here? [20:36] And then I have a follow-up on that. [20:38] Well, we filed a motion today [20:39] asking the court to do [20:41] what the plaintiffs refused to do. [20:43] We absolutely believe [20:44] that there is no better example [20:46] of why this ballroom is necessary, [20:48] aside from all the very positive things [20:50] the ballroom will bring to this country [20:51] and to Washington, D.C., [20:53] than what happened on Saturday night. [20:55] You guys, many of you all were there. [20:58] That's one of the only places in D.C. [20:59] that you can hold an event like that [21:01] due to its size and the structure of what we need. [21:05] So we're basically stuck at this point in the city [21:07] with having an event like that at a hotel. [21:10] So underneath a ton of hotel rooms. [21:13] And so the fact that we, [21:14] aside, again, aside from the fact [21:16] that the ballroom is spectacular, [21:17] it's going to be beautiful, [21:18] it's going to make this country look great [21:20] every time it's used, [21:21] it's also a meaningful safety issue. [21:23] And so I'm not, [21:25] I very much wish that the plaintiffs [21:28] and their counsel would take a different view. [21:31] But if they don't, [21:32] we are going to continue to fight in court [21:34] like we have been. [21:35] And hopefully the judges at the D.C. circuit court [21:38] will do the right thing. [21:40] Are you aware of... [21:41] Not you, the red. [21:43] Are you investigating connections [21:45] that Cole Allen allegedly had [21:48] to left-wing groups? [21:49] I think one is called the Wide Awakes, reportedly. [21:51] Yes. [21:52] Of course we're investigating that. [21:53] Are you aware of his video game development past, [21:57] including a potential shooter-style RPG game? [22:02] I've seen the news reports that talk about that. [22:05] I think that the positive and negatives [22:08] of this type of case [22:09] is that there's a lot of people [22:11] investigating this man right now, [22:12] including the FBI. [22:13] But the only investigations [22:14] that truly matter in the court of law [22:17] are the ones that Director Patel [22:18] and his men and women are doing. [22:20] So we'll wait for them to do that [22:21] and get an answer. [22:22] Just really quick, [22:24] do you know anything about his alleged Christian past, [22:29] Christian faith past, [22:30] because he said something about it in the manifesto? [22:32] I have read reports in the news, [22:35] and I've read reports that say various things [22:38] regarding his views of Christianity, [22:40] his views in the past of Christianity, [22:41] and I'm certainly not going to speak to news reports. [22:45] I will wait, as I hope all of you would, [22:48] for the investigation to continue [22:50] until we actually have answers. [22:52] Just a little technical question. [22:55] You mentioned that so far you think [22:58] that Alan fired at least one shot. [23:01] That doesn't say that in the affidavit yet, [23:04] so I'm just curious if you can explain [23:06] the discharging of weapon charge at this point. [23:10] Well, he's charged with violating 924C, [23:13] discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, [23:15] so by definition that charge means that it was discharged. [23:18] I can tell you, from what I know, [23:21] with the understanding that we're a day and a half in, [23:24] that this is the gun that he discharged, [23:28] and as those of us that have ever shot one of these know, [23:31] what happens when you shoot that [23:32] is the casing stays inside the firearm, [23:35] and then if you reload it, it pops it out. [23:38] My understanding is that it was inside the firearm, [23:41] but hadn't been ejected, [23:44] which means that it hadn't been pulled back again, [23:47] but again, I want folks to understand, [23:49] I'm the acting attorney general, [23:50] I'm not on the ground doing the investigation, [23:51] so I'm telling you what I've been told, [23:54] and if that information changes, [23:56] I'm sure that we'll let you know. [23:57] I just want to ask you about this letter [23:59] that you posted yesterday [24:00] that's sent from Brett Schumacher to the plaintiffs [24:03] in that lawsuit. [24:03] It says that the Washington Hilton [24:07] is, quote, demonstrably unsafe [24:09] for the President of the United States. [24:11] It said that with the ballroom, [24:13] that Trump will no longer need to venture [24:15] beyond the safety of the White House perimeter. [24:17] Just engaging with those lines, [24:20] was there an assessment in advance of the dinner [24:23] that the Hilton was demonstrably unsafe? [24:26] And if so, why was President Trump allowed to attend it? [24:30] And then separately, just the idea [24:32] that by building the ballroom [24:34] that President Trump wouldn't need [24:36] to go outside of the confines of the White House. [24:38] I mean, is that something [24:39] that the American people, you know, [24:40] should find acceptable, [24:41] that the President would have to be, [24:44] for major events, confined to the White House, [24:46] it seems like kind of a castle situation. [24:48] That is obviously not what he means by that. [24:50] And the fact that that question comes [24:52] with respect to President Trump [24:54] is laughable in the extreme. [24:56] I mean, laughable in the extreme. [24:57] You have a President who willingly speaks [24:59] with you guys multiple times a day, [25:02] I would say seven days a week. [25:03] He is active all over the country. [25:05] I think with that, keeping it to the four corners [25:08] of that statement, [25:08] when he says demonstrably, [25:10] it's demonstrated by what happened on Saturday night. [25:13] So that doesn't mean that the Secret Service [25:15] would ever let the President [25:17] go into an unsafe environment. [25:18] I know that the Director of the Secret Service [25:20] will be focused on making sure [25:22] that we always keep him safe. [25:24] And by the way, as we said before, [25:26] and as anybody that was in that room knows, [25:29] we were safe. [25:30] We were safe. [25:30] We heard a lot of loud noises [25:32] that at the time many of us thought [25:33] could be guns going off. [25:35] It was mostly plates following [25:36] because of the staff, understandably, [25:38] were running. [25:39] So my reaction to that is, [25:42] I'll leave anything with respect to security [25:43] up to the great men and women of the Secret Service. [25:46] But when we talk about having an environment [25:49] like the ballroom, [25:50] it's an environment like what you saw last night. [25:52] So an environment where you have [25:53] a unique blend of cabinet members, [25:57] leadership of this country, [25:58] leadership of Congress, [26:00] reporters and members of the public [26:01] coming together for an event like that. [26:04] That's different than other public-facing situations, [26:06] which I have no doubt. [26:07] President Trump will continue to do [26:09] as he said he would on Saturday night. [26:12] Thank you. [26:13] Is there, for FBI Director Patel, [26:15] is there any other credible threats [26:18] at this time related to events in the city, [26:21] including King Charles, [26:22] and then separately the manifesto, [26:25] I don't really want to give too much weight to this, [26:27] did mention your name in it [26:29] as someone that they maybe were not targeting. [26:31] Do you want to kind of elaborate on that? [26:33] And then also the political motivations there? [26:35] As to the latter, no. [26:36] As to the former, the FBI and the interagency [26:39] is constantly evaluating intelligence [26:40] provided to us by interagency collection methods, [26:43] our partners in the federal and state and local levels. [26:45] We are constantly relaying that information [26:47] to the White House, [26:48] to the Attorney General, [26:49] to the United States Attorney, [26:50] specifically here in D.C. [26:52] and we will always assess each piece of intelligence [26:54] and base it on the credibility that it was received [26:57] and give it the due weight that it has. [26:59] But as the U.S. Attorney has stated [27:01] and as President Trump's task force for Washington, D.C. has shown, [27:05] we have reduced crime in this city by historic levels [27:08] and we will continue to do so [27:10] and we will continue to safeguard the men and women [27:12] that call Washington, D.C. their home. [27:14] All right, just a couple more. [27:18] Acting Attorney General, [27:19] paragraph 14 of the complaint today, [27:22] it says that the suspect fell [27:25] and you said that he was tackled. [27:27] I just want to see if we can try to make sure we understand. [27:31] Well, I think that both can be true. [27:34] Yeah, I got you. [27:35] And I would rely on the complaint [27:37] because that was sworn to by an agent [27:39] and not by the words out of the acting Attorney General [27:41] who most certainly was not there. [27:43] But I think both can be true. [27:44] All right. [27:44] Well, the U.S. Attorney yesterday also mentioned [27:47] that one of the charges possibly would be [27:50] for assault on an officer [27:52] and I noticed today it's a different charge. [27:54] Is this because you've determined [27:56] that what he shot didn't actually strike the officer? [28:00] We're still looking at that [28:01] and I think that that's something [28:03] that you'll hear about in the coming days [28:05] as we know the answer to that. [28:07] It doesn't legally matter in that situation [28:11] but after an event like this happens, [28:14] not surprisingly, [28:15] there's initial charges that we consider. [28:17] Then you have the U.S. Attorney's team [28:20] and the FBI looking through the evidence [28:22] and figuring out what's the best thing to do [28:24] and that's what you have. [28:24] Just one more question. [28:26] I have two quick questions. [28:28] I just wanted to clarify. [28:30] You said one officer fired their weapon five times. [28:33] Was that the only officer who discharged a firearm? [28:36] I want to be very careful in answering that question [28:39] because this is, [28:41] when you do ballistics evidentiary collection and research, [28:45] it is very complicated. [28:46] So when you fire a bullet, [28:47] the bullet ends up somewhere. [28:49] Sometimes you find it, sometimes you don't. [28:51] And so with that qualifier, [28:55] we believe right now [28:57] that there was five shots fired [28:58] from the same firearm. [29:01] But there's a team of folks looking at this [29:03] that are experts [29:04] and the evidence collection team [29:06] that were in that area of the hotel [29:09] where the shots were fired [29:11] will work all night. [29:14] They have the evidence they collected [29:16] but it's not an exact science [29:18] from the standpoint that, [29:20] for example, the buckshot, [29:21] when that shot, it scatters everywhere. [29:24] Sometimes it just disappears actually [29:25] depending on where it hits. [29:27] So you don't have to, [29:29] hopefully with that qualifier, [29:31] that's where we are right now. [29:32] Question about the timeline, sir. [29:34] Hold on. [29:34] I just wanted to ask, [29:36] what law enforcement has learned [29:37] about why he was targeting President Trump? [29:40] Do you guys believe he was upset [29:41] about a certain policy or decision by the president? [29:44] The complaint lays out [29:46] what I think is described as a manifesto, [29:49] which is something that he allegedly sent [29:52] to many folks, his family. [29:55] That's what we have so far [29:56] as far as his motivation. [29:58] As the U.S. attorney said a few minutes ago, [30:01] what is clear from the complaint [30:02] and from what we have so far [30:04] is he was targeting President Trump. [30:07] He described that in his manifesto. [30:09] He was targeting administration officials. [30:12] He described that. [30:12] But as far as us understanding [30:14] additional motivation, [30:16] that's for the FBI and law enforcement. [30:18] All right. [30:19] Thanks a lot, guys. [30:19] I appreciate it. [30:20] Thank you. [30:21] You've been watching live coverage [30:22] of the press conference in Washington [30:24] with the acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche. [30:27] They're laying out the charges [30:28] along with Jeanine Pirro, [30:29] the United States Attorney [30:30] for the District of Columbia. [30:32] 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen [30:34] has been charged [30:34] with attempted assassination of President Trump [30:37] that carries up to life in prison if convicted. [30:39] He's also charged with transporting [30:41] a firearm, ammunition, [30:43] in interstate commerce. [30:44] That's up to 10 years. [30:45] They did outline the travels [30:47] that they believe the suspect made [30:48] from California near Los Angeles [30:51] to Chicago, then to Washington, [30:53] checking in to the Hilton Hotel [30:55] the night before [30:56] the White House Correspondents' Dinner. [30:58] They also charged with discharging a firearm [31:02] during a crime of violence. [31:04] Up to minimum 10 years [31:05] comes with that maximum of life. [31:07] You did hear from U.S. Attorney Pirro there [31:09] that there will be additional charges. [31:11] I want to bring in [31:12] our Chief Washington Correspondent, [31:13] Jonathan Karl. [31:14] John, we heard Pierre ask [31:15] about the evidence that they have so far [31:17] that would indicate that this suspect [31:19] was looking to assassinate President Trump. [31:22] They did not lay out the evidence [31:25] beyond the manifesto that you have reported [31:27] on right here, [31:28] in addition to obviously being in the room [31:30] and witnessing what transpired [31:32] on Saturday night. [31:33] They also talked here today [31:35] before the cameras about the fact [31:36] that he checked into that hotel on Friday. [31:39] He was upstairs in that hotel. [31:41] You heard U.S. Attorney Pirro say, [31:43] obviously, had he had the television on [31:45] or was watching on his phone, [31:46] knew that the President and the First Lady [31:48] were in that room [31:49] when he then came down about 8.40 p.m., [31:52] they say. [31:52] That's when we saw that video [31:54] where he went right past the Secret Service. [31:56] Yeah, the primary evidence [31:57] seems to be that manifesto [31:59] about a thousand words long. [32:01] That manifesto does not mention [32:04] the words Donald Trump, [32:05] but it does talk about [32:06] administration officials, [32:08] says that they are all his targets [32:10] with the exception of Mr. Patel, [32:12] presumably Kash Patel, [32:13] the FBI director. [32:15] There was, though, [32:16] that one other piece [32:17] of circumstantial evidence [32:19] that was suggested there, [32:20] and that is that the suspect, [32:23] Cole Allen, [32:24] reserved that hotel room [32:26] on April 6th, [32:27] about a month after it was announced publicly [32:30] that Donald Trump intended [32:32] to go to the White House [32:34] Correspondents' Dinner, [32:35] the suggestion being that he, [32:38] this was long premeditated, [32:40] the reservation was made, [32:42] made for the dates. [32:43] He checks in the day before [32:46] the White House Correspondents' Dinner [32:48] and, you know, [32:49] allegedly goes down [32:50] as the dinner is underway [32:52] and President Trump [32:53] and the First Lady [32:54] are on the dais, [32:55] and all those administration officials [32:57] that he allegedly wanted to target [32:59] were there in that room. [33:01] I thought one other thing, David, [33:03] interesting here and important [33:04] is the question [33:06] of the discharge of firearms. [33:08] It sounds like what they were saying [33:10] is that Cole Allen allegedly [33:11] discharged his shotgun [33:13] one time [33:15] and that a Secret Service officer [33:18] discharged his weapon five times [33:21] and ultimately did not strike Cole Allen. [33:25] Interestingly, [33:26] the only injury to Cole Allen [33:28] was a scraped knee, [33:30] according to Attorney General, [33:32] Acting Attorney General Blanche. [33:34] The reason why this question [33:36] of discharge is important [33:37] is there was somebody who was shot. [33:39] There was a Secret Service agent [33:40] who was shot in the chest, [33:42] saved by his weapon, [33:43] his body armor, [33:44] and Cole Allen was not charged in that. [33:46] It sounds like they have not figured out [33:48] whether or not it was Allen's gun [33:51] that allegedly struck him [33:53] or whether it was a case [33:54] of friendly fire [33:56] from another Secret Service officer. [33:58] Clearly a question moving forward. [33:59] Our thanks to our Chief Washington [34:01] Correspondent Jonathan Karl. [34:02] Let's bring in Pierre Thomas, [34:03] who is in the room for us this afternoon. [34:05] And Pierre, [34:05] you were asking a couple of the questions. [34:07] In fact, [34:07] the Attorney General turned to you first [34:09] in this press conference. [34:11] We heard them say [34:12] that law enforcement did not fail, Pierre. [34:14] We do know that there have been questions [34:16] on the Hill from lawmakers [34:17] about what transpired Saturday night. [34:19] They came out and said that [34:20] right off the top of this news conference. [34:22] You also asked about the political climate. [34:25] You talked about a number [34:26] of assassination attempts [34:28] involving the current president [34:30] and then the climate [34:31] of other lawmakers [34:32] being targeted across this country. [34:34] and the Attorney General [34:36] answered the question. [34:39] He did indeed. [34:40] And David, [34:41] we're perhaps in the most dangerous [34:42] threat environment [34:43] since 9-11. [34:44] We were having case after case [34:46] almost monthly [34:47] of people taking acts of violence [34:49] based on politics. [34:51] And David, [34:51] that is an ongoing concern. [34:53] And I think one of the key things [34:55] about this press conference as well [34:56] in terms of looking at the why, [34:58] the motivation here, [35:00] they are claiming that [35:01] this email information [35:03] or these messages [35:04] that he sent to his family [35:05] lays out the reason [35:06] why they can charge him [35:08] with attempted assassination [35:09] of the president. [35:10] Namely, [35:11] he's in this particular message. [35:13] He's talking about frustration [35:15] with certain policies [35:16] to include immigration. [35:18] He's talking about [35:19] wanting to target [35:20] from the highest to the lowest. [35:21] Obviously, [35:22] the highest would be [35:22] the president of the United States. [35:24] And they believe [35:24] that he came intent on killing [35:26] as many people as possible, [35:28] they said, [35:29] to get to the president. [35:30] Quick follow-up to you, Pierre, [35:31] because this was, in fact, [35:32] your follow-up. [35:33] You asked if they [35:34] could lay out [35:34] any more of the evidence [35:36] that they believe [35:36] the suspect was actually [35:37] targeting the president [35:39] directly here. [35:40] And we heard [35:41] the acting attorney general, [35:43] Blanche, [35:43] talk about the searches conducted [35:45] both in California, [35:47] another search [35:48] here in the Northeast. [35:50] And he talked about [35:50] the devices [35:51] that have been recovered [35:52] but didn't really weigh [35:53] in beyond that. [35:57] Indeed, David. [35:58] They have access [35:58] to his mobile phones, [36:00] computers, [36:01] looking at his social media footprint. [36:03] All that is being exported [36:04] as we speak. [36:05] They're not quite ready [36:06] to speak on it just yet, [36:07] but we're being told [36:08] that there's additional evidence [36:09] that they are pursuing. [36:11] All right. [36:11] Live coverage this afternoon. [36:12] Pierre Thomas, [36:13] our thanks to you [36:13] and for your reporting [36:14] all week long. [36:15] 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen [36:16] charged late today [36:18] with attempted assassination [36:19] of President Trump, [36:20] transport of a firearm [36:21] and ammunition [36:22] in interstate commerce, [36:23] having traveled, [36:24] authorities say, [36:25] from California to Chicago [36:27] and then to Washington, D.C., [36:29] checking into that hotel [36:30] the day before [36:31] the White House [36:32] Correspondents' Dinner, [36:33] several floors up, [36:34] then coming down [36:35] to that ballroom. [36:37] The video you've seen [36:37] of him traveling past [36:39] the Secret Service there, [36:41] racing down that hallway. [36:43] And the third charge [36:44] you heard John Carl [36:45] talk about a moment ago, [36:46] discharging a firearm [36:47] during a crime of violence. [36:48] That brings with it, [36:50] in and of itself, [36:51] a minimum of 10 years, [36:52] of course, [36:53] attempted assassination [36:53] of a president [36:54] up to life in prison, [36:56] potentially if convicted. [36:57] of a president.