New evidence is emerging about 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, who is accused of attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump during a White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
According to a CNN investigation, the alleged shooter maintained social media accounts where in recent years his posts have taken on a highly political and aggressive tone. From video game-related content, he gradually moved to posts with political anger and extreme rhetoric.
His posts allegedly included comparisons of Trump to Hitler, and in some cases encouraged the purchase of guns by citizens who disagreed with his policies. Meanwhile, authorities are examining a message he allegedly sent to relatives before the attack, in which he described a plan to target government officials.
Investigators, utilizing data from seized electronic devices, believe that the digital traces depict intense hostility toward the U.S. president and his administration.
A senior Justice Department official confirmed that Allen was using the alias “CForce3000” on the X platform. Although the account has now been deactivated, authorities analyzed thousands of posts stored in the Internet Archive, as well as hundreds of posts from a Bluesky account with similar information.
The posts show gradual radicalization, culminating in 2025, when the account openly expressed frustration at the lack of action against Trump and called the president a “traitor.”
At the same time, authorities are looking into the defendant’s possible connections to political groups, with no clear conclusions so far.
Surprisingly, Allen’s day-to-day image differed significantly from his online profile. As a part-time teacher in Torrance, LA, he was described by students and colleagues as calm and intelligent, with many saying they were shocked by the developments.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining both the defendant’s digital footprint and the broader social and political context of the case.
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