President Donald Trump referred to the man who armed himself and stormed the Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner as a "radicalized" individual and "probably a sick person," during an exclusive interview on the "60 Minutes" program by CBS, conducted by Norah O'Donnell and aired just 24 hours after the incident.
The attacker, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31 years old, stormed into the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington D.C. on Saturday night armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives, firing between five and eight shots before being subdued by the Secret Service.
Trump was evacuated from the stage along with First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members.
"I read a manifesto. It is radicalized. He was a Christian —a believer— and then became anti-Christian... he was probably a pretty sick guy," Trump stated in the interview.
The president revealed that both Allen's brother and sister had previously reported him to the police due to his alarming behavior, and that the family itself was very concerned about the changes he had undergone.
Regarding the speed with which Allen passed through the security checks, Trump described the scene with astonishment: "He ran 45 yards, they say. And he just went for it, and then, boom, he crossed it all at once... I think the NFL should sign him. He was fast. When you see it on the recording, it's almost like a blur."
Despite this, the president emphatically praised the agents' response: "As soon as they saw him, you could see them drawing their weapons. They were very professional. They aimed and took them down immediately."
A Secret Service agent was injured by a bullet that was stopped by his bulletproof vest; a full recovery is expected.
Trump also spoke about Melania Trump's reaction during the incident: "I think she realized early on that it was more of a bullet than a tray," he stated, adding that the first lady "handled it very well" and that she is "very strong and intelligent."
The president acknowledged that it took him a few moments to obey the order to duck, but that he eventually did. After being taken to a waiting room, he tried to keep the dinner going: "I wanted to go back. I really wanted to," he admitted.
The FBI is investigating the case as an ideologically motivated act of political violence and classifies Allen as a "lone wolf." In his manifesto, the attacker—a graduate of the California Institute of Technology and a resident of Torrance, California—referred to himself as the "Friendly Federal Killer" and expressed anti-Christian hatred along with criticisms of the Trump administration.
The acting attorney general Todd Blanche confirmed that Allen was targeting the president and high-ranking officials.
When addressing the topic of political violence in the United States, Trump remarked that it has "always existed" throughout history, but he took aim at the opposition: "I believe the Democrats' hate speech is very dangerous for the country."
Trump announced that the dinner would be rescheduled in 30 days "bigger and better," and demanded that the construction of a secure event hall in the White House be expedited.
Allen appeared before a judge in Washington this Monday, facing charges of gunfire, illegal possession of firearms, and assault on a federal officer.
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