A man accused of attempting to storm the White House correspondents' dinner has been charged with three federal crimes, including attempted assassination of the president, which carries a potential life sentence. The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, appeared in federal court in a blue jail jumpsuit alongside lawyers from the federal defender's office. Federal prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine stated that Allen was armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a pistol, and three knives when law enforcement officers tackled him outside the Hilton hotel ballroom where the annual dinner was held on Saturday night.
Motives and Security Concerns
Investigators have not yet released a motive for the attack. However, to support the attempted assassination charge, the affidavit quotes a portion of a manifesto that Allen allegedly sent to family members, stating: "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes." Regarding security, while many praised law enforcement for swiftly stopping the attack, Allen's alleged manifesto mocked what he described as an "insane" lack of security at the Washington dinner.
Trump Administration's Response
Several officials, including President Donald Trump, have used the incident to advocate for completing Trump's $40 million White House ballroom project. The Justice Department has pressured a preservation group to drop a lawsuit seeking to halt construction.
King Charles Addresses Congress Amid Strained Relations
King Charles III is scheduled to address Congress on Tuesday, the second day of his first state visit to the US since becoming king in 2022. The king and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday, greeted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The king is expected to allude to recent strains between the UK and US, emphasizing that "time and again our two countries have always found ways to come together."
Oval Office Meeting and Challenges
Sources told the Guardian that Charles will pose for cameras at the start of his bilateral meeting on Tuesday, but British officials have pushed for the Oval Office meeting to be held off-camera, fearing a repeat of scenes when Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of the press. Relations between the UK and US are tense following Trump's criticism of Britain's refusal to support military action against Iran. Additionally, Charles meets Trump under the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein; Charles's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his connection with Epstein.
Other News
The Trump administration has fired all 22 members of the independent National Science Board that oversees the National Science Foundation. Jimmy Kimmel defended his Melania Trump joke and refused to apologize after the president and first lady accused him of inciting violence, stating on his show Monday night: "It was not – by any stretch of the definition – a call to assassination. And they know that." Florida's Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposal for redistricting his state's congressional maps in a nationwide gerrymandering battle for control of Congress.
Illegal Logging in Mexico
Illegal logging has destroyed more than 22,400 acres of ancient forest in Mexico's Sierra Tarahumara. Over the past 15 years, criminal groups, including factions of the Sinaloa cartel, have intensified illegal deforestation, disrupting the region's hydrological system and leading to droughts, crop failures, and food insecurity.
Culture Pick: Lena Dunham's Famesick
Lena Dunham's newest memoir, Famesick, explores the Girls creator's experiences with chronic illness and the stress after landing her own HBO series at age 24. Guardian reviewer Hannah J Davies writes that while at times scattergun and lacking self-awareness, the memoir is undeniably frank and exhaustive, condensing a lifetime of therapy into a quick read.
Americans Renouncing Citizenship
Since 2014, thousands of US citizens have renounced their citizenship each year, hitting a record of 6,705 in 2020. With the Trump administration slashing fees to renounce citizenship from $2,350 to $450, this year is expected to reach similar heights.
The Trope of the Asian Mother
From Amy Chua's Tiger Mom to Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the stereotype of the strict, difficult-to-please Asian mother dominates popular culture, feeling both overexposed and underdeveloped, writes Rebecca Liu.
Climate Check: Lebanon Accuses Israel of Ecocide
Amid a patchy ceasefire, Lebanon's environment minister has accused Israel's military of committing "an act of ecocide" in operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. In 2023 and 2024 alone, the Israeli military damaged 12,350 acres of forest cover and destroyed 5,320 acres of orchards, including over 2,000 acres of olive groves, according to a 106-page report.
Baby on Board
A woman unexpectedly went into labor on a cross-country Delta flight from Atlanta to Portland over the weekend. Emergency medical technicians Tina Fritz and Caarin Powell were on board, and a healthy five-and-a-half-pound baby girl, Brielle Renee, was born just as the plane touched down.
