Prosecutors say gunman targeted Trump in ‘point-blank’ WHCA dinner shooting
WASHINGTON, DC: Jeanine Pirro said on Sunday that investigators have firm evidence linking the shooting of a Secret Service agent at last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner directly to the accused gunman.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper, Pirro confirmed that prosecutors possess video footage showing 31-year-old suspect Cole Allen firing at the officer.
The injured agent has also personally confirmed being struck during the attack.
Pirro added that forensic analysis further strengthens the case, noting that a pellet from the alleged buckshot used in the shooting was recovered and found “intertwined with the fiber” of the agent’s protective vest.
The combination of visual and physical evidence, she indicated, leaves little ambiguity about the origin of the bullet that struck the officer.
“It is definitely his bullet,” Pirro said, asserting that the suspect “had every intention to kill” the agent and others who might obstruct his path.
TAPPER: "Has it been suggested to you, at any point, by anyone that maybe you need to recuse yourself because you were both a witness and a potential target?"
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) May 3, 2026
JEANINE PIRRO: "Absolutely not. I mean, there is no way... my ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my… pic.twitter.com/clLO5SJ9DA
Officials describe premeditated attempt on president
According to prosecutors, the shooting was not an isolated act of violence but part of a broader, calculated attempt to assassinate Donald Trump.
Pirro characterised the attack as “premeditated” and “violent,” arguing that the suspect’s objective extended beyond the immediate confrontation with security personnel.
“This was a premeditated, violent act, calculated to take down the president and anyone who was in the line of fire,” she said.
Earlier accounts from Sean Curran reinforced the severity of the incident.
Curran told NewsNation that the suspect fired at the agent at “point-blank range” after charging a secured checkpoint at the venue.
He added that the officer “heroically returned fire,” preventing further escalation.
Authorities say the swift response by security personnel likely averted a far more serious outcome at the high-profile gathering attended by political leaders, journalists and public figure.
Charges filed as manifesto reveals targeting strategy
Allen has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president along with multiple firearms offences, and remains in custody pending trial.
If convicted on the most serious charge, he could face a sentence of up to life imprisonment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 11.
Investigators have also pointed to a manifesto distributed by the suspect prior to the attack, which outlined a chilling targeting framework.
While it did not explicitly name Trump, it described plans to attack administration officials “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.”
Pirro said that, taken together with other evidence, the manifesto makes the intended target unmistakable.
She highlighted the timeline of events, noting that the alleged plot appears to have taken shape only after Trump publicly confirmed his attendance at the dinner at the Washington Hilton.
“It is very clear… that as soon as this president said that he was going to be at the Hilton for the White House Correspondents’ dinner… the suspect then made the decision to hatch the plan,” Pirro told Tapper.
