White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting: US Intelligence Suspects Iran War as Trigger
US intelligence suggests the US-Iran war might be a motive behind last month's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, with authorities investigating the shooter's social media and digital footprint to clarify the case.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 12:06
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 12:31 (25 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 8, 2026 at 03:46 (15h 15m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington, May 6,綜合外電報導) A shooting occurred last month at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence assessment indicates that the US-Iran war may be one of the shooter's motives. Authorities are deeply investigating his social media activities and digital footprint to clarify the case.
According to a Reuters report, an intelligence report sent to state and local law enforcement agencies across the US, as well as other federal units, states that DHS believes the joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran may be one of the motives for shooter Cole Allen's alleged attempt to assassinate US President Donald Trump and several high-ranking government officials.
According to an initial report issued by the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis on April 27, Allen has long held "multiple social and political grievances," and the US-Iran war "may have prompted his final decision to launch the attack."
Although the above conclusions are still preliminary, this is the clearest evidence to date that the conflict, which has killed thousands in the Middle East and impacted the global economy, may have been the trigger for Allen's crime.
The intelligence document, classified as a "Critical Incident Note," was obtained through a public records request by Property of the People, a non-profit organization focused on national security transparency, and provided to Reuters for review.
A DHS spokesperson declined to comment on the contents of the intelligence document, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also declined to comment, and the Department of Justice did not respond to media inquiries.
Allen currently faces multiple charges, including attempted assassination, use of a firearm in a violent crime, interstate illegal transport of weapons and ammunition, and assault on federal law enforcement officers, but has not yet formally responded.
To date, US officials have been quite limited in their public statements regarding Allen's alleged motives, only mentioning an email he sent to relatives on the night of the incident expressing dissatisfaction with the government and mentioning an intention to target "traitors" who were giving speeches, but not directly naming Trump.
Prosecutors stated in court documents that Allen's political stance was "at odds" with Trump and that he "wanted to fight back against policies and decisions he considered morally unacceptable."
A senior law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the FBI is meticulously examining Allen's social media activities and digital footprint to trace his motives, including a Bluesky account linked to Allen.
In the weeks leading up to the incident, this account had posted and reposted multiple anti-Trump contents, criticizing not only US military actions against Iran but also the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies, Elon Musk, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The account also reposted an article calling for Trump's impeachment because Trump had threatened to destroy Iranian civilization. Another post from 2024 quoted biblical content, seemingly describing Trump as a "devil." Other content included criticisms of media personnel planning to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Law enforcement officials said the FBI's focus on Allen's online activities is partly to avoid a resurgence of conspiracy theories. He said that after the 2024 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, speculation about the suspect's online behavior had triggered a large number of conspiracy theories. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu)1150507
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(Central News Agency, Washington, May 6,綜合外電報導) A shooting occurred last month at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence assessment indicates that the US-Iran war may be one of the shooter's motives. Authorities are deeply investigating his social media activities and digital footprint to clarify the case.
According to a Reuters report, an intelligence report sent to state and local law enforcement agencies across the US, as well as other federal units, states that DHS believes the joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran may be one of the motives for shooter Cole Allen's alleged attempt to assassinate US President Donald Trump and several high-ranking government officials.
According to an initial report issued by the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis on April 27, Allen has long held "multiple social and political grievances," and the US-Iran war "may have prompted his final decision to launch the attack."
Although the above conclusions are still preliminary, this is the clearest evidence to date that the conflict, which has killed thousands in the Middle East and impacted the global economy, may have been the trigger for Allen's crime.
The intelligence document, classified as a "Critical Incident Note," was obtained through a public records request by Property of the People, a non-profit organization focused on national security transparency, and provided to Reuters for review.
A DHS spokesperson declined to comment on the contents of the intelligence document, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also declined to comment, and the Department of Justice did not respond to media inquiries.
Allen currently faces multiple charges, including attempted assassination, use of a firearm in a violent crime, interstate illegal transport of weapons and ammunition, and assault on federal law enforcement officers, but has not yet formally responded.
To date, US officials have been quite limited in their public statements regarding Allen's alleged motives, only mentioning an email he sent to relatives on the night of the incident expressing dissatisfaction with the government and mentioning an intention to target "traitors" who were giving speeches, but not directly naming Trump.
Prosecutors stated in court documents that Allen's political stance was "at odds" with Trump and that he "wanted to fight back against policies and decisions he considered morally unacceptable."
A senior law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the FBI is meticulously examining Allen's social media activities and digital footprint to trace his motives, including a Bluesky account linked to Allen.
In the weeks leading up to the incident, this account had posted and reposted multiple anti-Trump contents, criticizing not only US military actions against Iran but also the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies, Elon Musk, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The account also reposted an article calling for Trump's impeachment because Trump had threatened to destroy Iranian civilization. Another post from 2024 quoted biblical content, seemingly describing Trump as a "devil." Other content included criticisms of media personnel planning to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Law enforcement officials said the FBI's focus on Allen's online activities is partly to avoid a resurgence of conspiracy theories. He said that after the 2024 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, speculation about the suspect's online behavior had triggered a large number of conspiracy theories. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu)1150507
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news immediately
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.