Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized former President Barack Obama for suggesting the motive behind last week’s shooting near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner remains unclear, arguing that investigators already have evidence pointing to why the suspect allegedly targeted President Donald Trump.
“It’s pretty incredible that a leader, a former leader like President Obama would say that,” Blanche said in an interview on Fox News.
“Actually, literally just … covering his eyes to what we know is happening.”
Blanche’s remarks follow the April 25 shooting outside the Washington Hilton, where a gunman attempted to breach security at the high-profile event attended by Trump and senior administration officials.
A Secret Service agent was struck but protected by a ballistic vest, and the suspect was taken into custody.
Federal prosecutors have charged 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen with attempting to assassinate the president and other firearms-related offenses.
Blanche said the motive behind the attack is already evident based on evidence collected so far and details outlined in the criminal complaint.
“The motivation is clear just from the little bit of evidence that we’ve uncovered … even just what’s charged in the complaint,” Blanche said. “We know why President Trump was allegedly targeted by this individual.”
Investigators have pointed to writings and social media posts linked to the suspect that indicate hostility toward Trump and his administration. Authorities believe the attacker was targeting Trump and other officials at the event.
Obama, in a post on X the day after the shooting, said that while details about the suspect’s motives were still emerging, the incident underscored the need to reject political violence.
“Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night’s shooting … it’s incumbent upon all of us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy,” Obama wrote.
He also praised the response by the Secret Service and said he was grateful the injured agent was expected to recover.
Blanche called those comments “disappointing,” arguing they overlook what he described as clear indications of intent uncovered in the early stages of the investigation.
“That is so disappointing to say that, when we know from just the little bit of evidence … not the rest of the evidence that we’ve uncovered since then,” Blanche said.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as federal authorities continue to examine the suspect’s background, writings, and actions leading up to the attack.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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