What in the World - Who is the suspected Washington dinner gunman?

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The White House Correspondents' Dinner is a swanky event - the famous journalists and politicians that go are all dressed in their best tuxes and gowns. Donald Trump and his wife Melania were sat on the very long top table. But on Saturday night’s event, a gunman tried to get into the ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel. He was stopped by officials after an exchange of gunfire and since then more details have been coming out about who he is.

Who is Cole Tomas Allen? And how did he get into the hotel? That’s what we’re going to get into today.

There’s also been loads of chat about a manifesto that has been linked to the suspect. President Trump has been speaking about it in that interview with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
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Editor: Verity Wilde

Published on Monday, 27th April 2026.

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