A new intelligence assessment from the US Department of Homeland Security indicates that the gunman who disrupted President Trump’s dinner with White House correspondents and fired a weapon roughly ten days ago may have been driven in part by opposition to the war in Iran.

“The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, had numerous political and social grievances. The conflict in Iran may have contributed to his decision to carry out the attack,” the report states. Officials pointed to the suspect’s online activity, which included posts critical of the war in Iran.

A representative for the Department of Homeland Security declined to address the contents of the assessment directly. “These reports inform our partners of the most up-to-date information available following significant events impacting homeland security,” the spokesperson said.

As reported earlier, Allen forced his way into the Washington dinner event attended by President Trump and members of the White House press corps, where he fired at a Secret Service agent. The agent was unharmed. Secret Service personnel subdued Allen at the scene. During subsequent questioning, he has not revealed what led him to attempt to assassinate Trump.

Court documents filed by the Department of Justice show that Allen has been charged with a series of offenses, including attempted assassination, using a firearm during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a weapon, and shooting at a Secret Service agent. Prosecutors wrote in their filings that “Allen disagreed with Trump politically and sought to fight against the administration’s policies and decisions, which he viewed as morally wrong.”

{Matzav.com}