Trump Says US Shooting Suspect Wrote Anti-Christian Manifesto, Called Himself A ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’

3 min readUpdated: Apr 27, 2026 12:39 AM IST

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the suspect who fired shots at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner had an “anti-Christian manifesto” and “a lot of hatred in his heart”.

A law enforcement official, who is familiar with the investigation, told AP that the gunman referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” in writings sent to family members ahead of the shootout which the authorities suspect was politically motivated.

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said the suspect, identified by an official as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was “a sick guy” and that his family had earlier expressed concerns about him to law enforcement officials.

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US Secret Service agents respond near President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington. (AP Photo)

“When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians,” Trump told Fox News‘ “Sunday Briefing” program.

Meanwhile, the official said that the suspect’s manifesto allegedly made repeated references to President Trump without mentioning his name directly and pointed towards his grievances with a range of actions carried out by the Trump administration, including the US military’s strikes on drug smuggling boats in the Pacific Ocean.

The said manifesto allegedly contained a target list which included Trump administration’s officials but not FBI director Kash Patel, which was prioritised from ranking highest to lowest, Reuters reported.

.@POTUS: “The guy is a sick guy, when you read his manifesto. He hates Christians, that’s one thing for sure… and I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. They were even complaining to law enforcement. He was a very troubled guy.” pic.twitter.com/V367UFYBl0
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2026

The alleged manifesto, which was sent shortly before shots were fired at the Washington Hilton, begins with apologies to those who know the gunman and lists his motives for the shootings.

“I am a citizen of the United States of America. What my representatives do reflects on me. And I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes. Turning the other cheek when *someone else* is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes,” the manifesto read, New York Post reported.

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The gunman was not injured in the incident and was apprehended by security personnel. He is expected to be produced in court on Monday to face criminal charges.

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