Authorities have placed particular emphasis on the social media posts of 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, who is charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. According to reports, Allen gradually shifted from posting about video games to increasingly aggressive political messages.
According to CNN analysis, the suspect maintained two social media accounts where he allegedly made increasingly extreme political statements in recent years, going so far as to compare Trump to Adolf Hitler and encouraging government critics to purchase firearms.
Trump like “Adolf Hitler”
Allen’s posts show a clear transformation. In 2022, his X platform account contained mostly video game content, with encouragement for users to visit his YouTube channel where he posted videos about Super Smash Bros.
However, by 2024, his posts had taken on an intensely political character. He frequently reposted content comparing Trump to Hitler while adopting conspiracy theories, such as claiming the Pennsylvania assassination attempt could have been staged.
These posts, according to authorities and as reported by CNN, align with a message he allegedly sent to family members before the attack, describing plans to target government officials and expressing anger over their policies.
In the message Allen allegedly sent to family members, he signed with the pseudonym “coldForce.”
Allen appears to have begun posting on social media platform Bluesky in February 2025, just weeks after Trump’s second term began. This account frequently criticized the Trump administration’s policies while expressing regret that more powerful figures weren’t taking action against the president.
“Everyone already knows Trump is a terrible person in many ways and nobody has done anything,” the “coldforce” account wrote in April 2025.
“Best time to buy a gun”
In later posts, Allen appears to advocate for gun ownership, characteristically writing in December 2025 that “the best time to buy a gun was days ago – the second best time is today.” He simultaneously accused Trump of being a “traitor” to the US, expressing the view that the country was “falling apart from within” due to his leadership.
Cole Allen’s connections under authorities’ microscope
Investigators are examining Allen’s entire online activity as well as data from electronic devices seized in recent days to clarify the scope of his motivations.
They are also investigating possible connections to leftist groups, though no specific findings have emerged so far.
The image emerging from social media contrasts with his daily presence. Allen worked part-time as a tutor for high school students in the Torrance area of California.
Local community members and students who worked with him appear shocked by his arrest, describing him as an intelligent and calm person.
Ongoing investigation into White House Correspondents’ Dinner attack
According to court documents, the defendant exercised his right to remain silent after arrest, while appearing expressionless during his court appearance.
Authorities continue investigating the circumstances of the attack, during which he allegedly breached a security barrier and attempted to shoot the president.
It remains unclear how many shots were fired and whether any of his bullets struck a Secret Service agent, with ballistic examination results pending, according to CNN. Additional charges against him are not ruled out as the investigation is in full swing.
