Reuters reports that a US Department of Homeland Security intelligence assessment claims that Cole Thomas Allen, who stormed President Trump’s dinner with White House correspondents and opened fire about ten days ago, acted out of opposition to the war in Iran.
“The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, had numerous political and social grievances. The conflict in Iran may have contributed to his decision to carry out the attack," the report states. Homeland Security officials cited social media posts published by the suspect criticizing the war in Iran.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the intelligence report. “These reports inform our partners of the most up-to-date information available following significant events impacting homeland security," the spokesperson said.
As previously reported, Cole Thomas Allen burst into President Trump’s dinner with White House correspondents in Washington and opened fire at a Secret Service agent, who was not injured. He was quickly neutralized by Secret Service personnel and has since refused to disclose during questioning what motivated the attempted assassination of Trump.
According to the indictment filed by the Department of Justice, Allen faces multiple charges, including attempted assassination, discharging a firearm during a violent crime, illegal possession of a weapon, and firing at a Secret Service agent. Prosecutors stated in court filings that “Allen disagreed with Trump politically and sought to fight against the administration’s policies and decisions, which he viewed as morally wrong."