President Donald Trump responded to the weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) shooting with a bizarre dose of humor, joking that the alleged assailant’s sprinting ability warranted an NFL contract.
Donald Trump jokes about the gunman
The president analyzed the chaotic moments when a man charged past security at the Washington Hilton, remarking not on the danger, but on the suspect’s athletic prowess. Speaking with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell on 60 Minutes, Donald Trump described the shooting incident at WHCD with the eye of a sports scout. “He was like a blur,” Trump said, recalling surveillance footage of the WHCD shooting suspect.
The alleged gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, barreled through magnetometers with two firearms and knives before law enforcement subdued him. Trump complimented the raw physical speed required to breach the perimeter, measuring the dash in football terms. “His speed was rather incredible, actually… You know, he ran 45 yards, they say, and he just went to it, and then boom, he popped through it. I mean, he ran like—I think the NFL should sign him up,” Trump quipped. “He was fast.”
The NFL comparison stood out against the gravity of the thwarted attack. Trump also spoke of the tactical response of the agents who neutralized the threat. “When you look at it on tape, it’s almost like a blur,” he added. “But it was amazing ‘cause as soon as they saw that you could see them draw their guns. They were so professional. Aimed their guns, and then they took him down immediately.”
The suspect is scheduled for arraignment in federal court on preliminary charges, including assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro indicated the list of charges will likely expand. Authorities uncovered a manifesto in which Allen styled himself as “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen,” and detailed a plot targeting top officials.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.com.
