Judge Sets September 2027 Trial for Man Accused of Attacking White House Dinner

A federal judge has scheduled a trial for September 2027 for the man accused of attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner earlier this year. Cole Tomas Allen faces an attempted assassination charge related to an incident at the Washington Hilton hotel.

The trial is set to begin with jury selection on Sept. 7, 2027, in Washington, D.C. Judge Trevor McFadden estimated the proceedings will last between three and four weeks. Prosecutors originally requested a start date in May 2027, but the judge selected a later date after one of Allen’s attorneys requested additional preparation time.

Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, is accused of entering the event armed with guns and knives. He allegedly fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who attempted to stop him during the attack on April 25, 2026. The officer, who was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, was struck once. The officer returned fire with five shots but missed, according to authorities. Allen was injured during the incident, though not by gunfire.

The attack cut short one of the most prominent annual gatherings in the nation’s capital. President Donald Trump returned to address the rescheduled dinner three months after the initial event. Before the attack, Allen sent writings to relatives in which he criticized administration policies and described himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” according to authorities.

Allen faces a maximum potential sentence of life in prison for the attempted assassination. He is also charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts.