A 31-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) annual dinner pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Cole appeared before Judge Trevor McFadden in a federal district court in Washington, DC. The man has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, carrying a firearm and ammunition across state borders with intent to commit a crime, using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer.
If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment.
Prosecutors say Cole A shot at a U.S. Secret Service agent and stormed a security checkpoint during the dinner with the intention of attacking Trump and other members of his administration.
The man apparently traveled by train from his home in California to Washington DC and booked a room at the Washington Hilton, where the event was to take place. Officers found a gun, a pistol and a knife in his possession.
The incident marks the third alleged assassination attempt against Trump in less than two years.
Lawyers are demanding the Trump administration to withdraw from the case
Cole A. Never got close to Trump or any other guest at the dinner, which took place on a different floor from the dinner where the altercation occurred at the security checkpoint.
However, the President, Vice President J.D. Vance and other government officials were close enough to hear the gunshots and security officials escorted them from the venue.
Attendees at the ceremony included Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Cole A’s attorneys have indicated that they will seek to have both Blanche and Pirro recuse themselves from the case, due to their status as victims and their friendship with Trump.
Eugene Om, the defendant’s lawyer, said, “It is completely unfair for the victims of such an alleged incident to prosecute the case individually.”
District Judge Trevor McFadden gave prosecutors until May 22 to respond in writing to the defense’s request for Pirro and Blanch to recuse themselves.
McFadden asked the government to specify whether it believed Pirro and Blanche could be considered victims in the case.
Edited by: Alex Berry