\n<\/p>\n
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro gave an update on the investigation into Cole Tomas Allen \u2014 who opened fire one week earlier at the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner \u2014 and said that it was clear the would-be assassin had an inflated sense of his own capabilities.<\/p>\n
Pirro, the U.S. Attorney assigned to Washington, D.C., spoke with CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper about the ongoing investigation in Allen\u2019s actions and motives \u2014 and she described the shooter\u2019s actions leading up to the moment he charged a security checkpoint manned by the United States Secret Service.<\/p>\n
Tapper began by asking Pirro \u2014 who was in attendance at the dinner herself \u2014 whether the fact that she could have been a potential target meant that she should recuse herself from the case entirely. Pirro was adamant that the two things were unconnected.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely not. I mean, there is no way \u2026 my ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my being there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\nTAPPER: \u201cHas 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?\u201d
JEANINE PIRRO: \u201cAbsolutely not. I mean, there is no way\u2026 my ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/clLO5SJ9DA<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) May 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Pirro went on to address Allen\u2019s behavior and actions leading up to the assassination attempt, much of which was either recovered from his personal effects or captured by security cameras at the Washington Hilton.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly, the president is a target. And make no mistake, it is not just the manifesto. It is his actions,\u201d Pirro said of the suspect, who referred to himself as the \u201cFriendly Federal Assassin\u201d throughout the manifesto he sent to family. \u201cI mean, this guy thought he was Rambo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he takes a picture of himself. He is smug, he is proud, and he is focused on what he\u2019s doing,\u201d Pirro added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think if you read the manifesto \u2026 it is very clear who the intended target is. It is very clear, based upon the fact that as soon as this president said that he was going to be at the Hilton for the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner on March 2nd, [Allen] then made the decision to hatch the plan,\u201d Pirro told Tapper, adding, \u201cI can tell you, we will be able to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n
She went on to say that the defense might have a difficult time if they opted to go for an affirmative defense and claim that Allen was insane: \u201cThe one issue that people might think about is, is he insane. He is far from insane. He is brilliant. He has a master\u2019s degree. He work[ed] at a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nUS Attorney Jeanine Pirro on case against alleged press dinner gunman: \u201cWe have a lot of evidence that indicates his intent\u2026 whether it was, you know, following what the president was doing, where he was going, to the day of the of the event at the hotel. Tracking on his phone:\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/J9NtXGI3HU<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) May 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n