Obama sets internet ablaze with 'sick' reaction to the 'motive' of WHCD shooter
Obama sets internet ablaze with 'sick' reaction to the 'motive' of WHCD shooter
Obama's X post has been viewed almost 52 million times, drawing sharp rebukes from GOP officials and commentators
WHCD suspect to be arraigned in federal court over alleged plot against Trump officials
Retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro and criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno analyze the White House Correspondents' Dinner suspect's federal court arraignment. The discussion covers his stated motives to target Trump officials, the federal firearms and assault charges, and legal implications of his manifesto, even as he ceases cooperation. Experts assess the complex case in a challenging jurisdiction.
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Former President Barack Obama sparked an online firestorm over the weekend after his X post discussing the "motive" of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner shooter went viral.
"Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy," Obama posted on X on Sunday evening, roughly 24 hours after President Trump and top officials were whisked out of the Washington Hilton Hotel when shots rang out from a man who stormed security during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.
"It’s also a sobering reminder of the courage and sacrifice that the U.S. Secret Service Agents show every day. I’m grateful to them — and thankful that the agent who was shot is going to be okay."
Obama’s post has been viewed nearly 52 million times and sparked outrage from conservatives, who pointed to a manifesto left by the shooter and other details of the attack that they say show the motive was to harm Trump and his Cabinet.
WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS
Former President Barack Obama is taking criticism for suggesting "we don’t yet have the details about the motives" of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner alleged shooter, Cole Allen (left). (US President Trump via Truth Social/Anadolu via Getty Images; Earl Gibson III/Deadline via Getty Images)
"Let’s not pretend to be this clueless about motive, @BarackObama," EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin posted on X. "The attempted assassin put out an anti-Trump manifesto about wanting to kill Trump Admin officials, minutes before trying to storm a ballroom filled with the President, VP, Cabinet, and many others from his Admin."
Former FBI Co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino simply replied, "Are you kidding?"
"There is a manifesto, and this is why you are the problem," Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., posted on X.
"Oh come on," reacted former Department of Homeland Security press secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "There is no ambiguity. It was a politically motivated attack driven by anti-Trump and anti-Christian bile. It’s wrong to downplay or obscure the obvious motive."
Journalist Emma-Jo Morris posted on X, "It’s crazy how irrelevant Obama has become. Just reduced to posting bluesky-tier cope and meaningless cliches, ‘incumbent upon all’ etc."
WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SUSPECT CHECKED INTO HILTON HOTEL ONE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING: SOURCES
Agents stand guard outside the Washington Hilton hotel after a shooting incident during the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump and other officials were evacuated following reports of gunfire. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Republican National Committee commented, "You are so SICK! Law enforcement officers confirmed this radicalized Leftist was targeting President Trump and his administration last night. Why are you lying?"
Popular independent journalist Nick Shirley also joined in, urging Obama to "call it out for what it is."
"Wdym by 'although'? It’s obvious what the motive was," wrote Shirley.
Heritage Foundation media fellow Tim Young took a similar line, telling the former president, "Don’t pretend you don’t know."
"The details were out early this morning and it was clear he was a leftist trying to harm as many people in Trump’s cabinet as possible," Young wrote.
WHO IS COLE ALLEN? CALIFORNIA MAN NAMED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SHOOTING
Media and onlookers gather in front of a house connected to Cole Tomas Allen, the shooting suspect at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, in Torrance, Calif., on April 25, 2026. (Robbin Goddard / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"Agreed on condemning political violence, but you know what his motives were," "Charlie Kirk Show" Executive Producer Andrew Kolvet posted on X.
"This is a lie—the gunman's manifesto was published six hours ago," political commentator Batya Ungar-Sargon posted on X. "But it's also a confession—an admission that the motive is damning to President Obama's side, hence the need to lie."
Authorities have identified Cole Allen, a 31-year-old California resident, as the suspect who allegedly opened fire during the annual event attended by Trump and senior administration officials. Federal law enforcement officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that after Allen’s arrest, he said he intended to target Trump administration officials and had prepared a manifesto detailing his intent, while also sharing anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told reporters at a news conference after the shooting that Allen has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. Pirro also said more charges are expected.
Fox News Digital reached out to Obama’s office for comment.
Trump Signs Order Expediting Drugs for Mental Health Treatment
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that he said “directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs.” A primary objective of the order is to speed treatment for veterans.
“The executive order I’m signing, we’re actually signing the executive order today, is really a moment,” Trump said. “These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they’re both safe and effective for the American patients.”
The president said the executive order would implement “historic reforms to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.” Citing the elevated veteran suicide rate, the president added: “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans.”
“And the nice part is we’re actually doing this early, but it has been going on. Research has been going on for quite some time. But, you know, usually with things like this, nothing ever happens, no matter how the research ends up, but we’re changing that. This order will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” Trump continued.
The president said “in 2024, a study from Stanford University, 30 special operation veterans with traumatic brain injuries underwent — it’s called ibogaine treatment — ibogaine, remember the name,” noting that they “experienced an 80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month.”
“In Texas, Republican leaders have already committed $50 million to the ibogaine research. And today, the federal government is making a $50 million research investment in its own. And so that was just approved just last night,” Trump announced.
“We’re also opening a pathway for ibogaine to be administered to desperately ill patients under the right to try law,” Trump said.
“Today’s order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life, just lead a happier life,” he added.
Two weeks ago, Trump signed a sweeping executive order aimed at tightening federal oversight of election integrity, directing multiple agencies to expand voter eligibility verification and impose new controls on mail-in ballots.
The order, titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” outlines a series of measures that would increase coordination between federal agencies and state election officials, while also establishing new procedures for how ballots are distributed and tracked through the mail system.
At the core of the directive is a requirement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Social Security Administration (SSA), compile and transmit lists of individuals confirmed to be U.S. citizens to state election authorities. These “State Citizenship Lists” would be generated using federal databases, including immigration and Social Security records, and updated regularly ahead of federal elections.
According to the order, the lists are intended to help states verify voter eligibility, though inclusion on the list would not automatically register an individual to vote. State laws and procedures would still govern registration requirements.
The order also calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prioritize investigations and potential prosecutions related to election law violations. This includes cases involving the distribution of ballots to individuals deemed ineligible to vote, as well as any actors—public or private—who may be involved in producing or sending such ballots.
In a significant expansion of federal involvement in mail voting procedures, the directive instructs the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to develop new rules governing the handling of mail-in and absentee ballots. Within 60 days, the Postmaster General is required to initiate a rulemaking process that would standardize ballot tracking and verification measures nationwide.
Under the proposed framework, all mail-in ballots would be required to use specially marked envelopes designated as official election mail. These envelopes must include unique tracking barcodes and meet specific design standards set by USPS to ensure compatibility with automated processing systems.
Trump Says He’s in No Hurry to Make Deal With Iran
The president gave an update on negotiations between Washington and Tehran in a weekend interview.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 26, 2026 in Washington. This is Trump's second Cabinet meeting of 2026 and the first since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb. 28, 2026. Chip Somodevilla/Getty U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview published on May 30, said that he is in no hurry to make a deal with Iran to end the war, saying that neither Washington nor Tehran has signed an agreement yet.
“I’d like to say I’m in a hurry because gasoline prices are going to come tumbling down, but if you’re going to be in a hurry, you’re not going to make a good deal,” Trump told Fox News. “And slowly but surely we’re getting, I think, what we want, and if we don’t get what we want, we’re going to end it a different way.”
For weeks, the United States and Iran have been working to come to an agreement that would end the war, which started in February, as the conflict remains in a ceasefire. On May 29, Trump released the terms of a deal with Tehran and said he would be making a final decision soon.
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Along with demanding that Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened “in both directions” and that Tehran must “complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left.”
Since the start of the conflict, the strait has effectively remained shut down, sending oil and gas prices surging, as the strait allows for the transit of about a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas. As of May 31, gas prices in the United States averaged $4.34 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.
A White House official told The Epoch Times on May 29 that a White House meeting in the Situation Room on Iran lasted approximately two hours. No details were provided.
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Iran on May 31 claimed that the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) shot down a U.S. military drone that entered its airspace, in comments carried by state-run Tasnim News. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has not publicly commented on the incident.
A top Iranian official, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also said on May 31 that Tehran’s military force is “pushing back the enemy in a great and history-making war,” referring to the United States, according to state-run media. He also claimed that the United States has retreated from the conflict while pushing a narrative of unity in the Iranian regime.
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In his May 29 post on Truth Social, Trump also wrote that mines would be removed from the strait and that ships trapped there may start to go home.
“Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families from me, your favorite President!” he said.
On May 30, War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would restart attacks against Iran if no deal can be reached and that the military’s ammunition stockpiles are being replenished.
“Our ability to recommence if necessary ... we are more than capable,” Hegseth told reporters in Singapore. “Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place.”
The Pentagon head said that Trump was “patient” and that the president wants to make a “great deal” that ensures that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Reuters contributed to this report.
