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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed Sunday that the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting had set out to target Trump administration officials, "likely including the president."
The FBI executed overnight search warrants and discovered written materials at the hotel stating intent to target administration officials, as well as anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on the suspect's social media accounts.
Blanche told NBC News' Meet the Press: "It does appear that he did, in fact, have set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president."
On CBS News, he said: "We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration," while noting the suspect was not cooperating, and a full motive had not yet been determined.
Blanche said Allen was apprehended "feet away from breaking the perimeter" and praised the Secret Service for keeping those inside safe.
"Let’s not forget that the suspect didn’t get very far. He barely broke the perimeter and by barely I mean a few feet," he said, adding, "The system worked. We were safe, President Trump was safe."
Investigators reviewing materials found at the hotel discovered written materials, on paper, stating Allen's intent to target administration officials.
The writings made no specific mention of the White House Correspondents' Dinner itself, CBS News reported, citing sources.
Authorities also identified anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on Allen's social media accounts, according to CBS News.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been demanding that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built on the grounds of the White House."
"This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House. It cannot be built fast enough!" he added.
"While beautiful, it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in, and is inside the gates of the most secure building in the World, The White House," Trump said.
"The ridiculous Ballroom lawsuit, brought by a woman walking her dog, who has absolutely No Standing to bring such a suit, must be dropped, immediately. Nothing should be allowed to interfere with with its construction, which is on budget and substantially ahead of schedule!!!" he concluded.
Blanche said the FBI "worked through the night, executing search warrants at locations and on devices recovered from the suspect."
He said authorities believed Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington.
Allen will be charged Monday in federal court with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, Blanche confirmed, an upgraded charge from the initial two counts announced Saturday night.
Leaders around the world condemned the attack. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it an attack "on our free and open societies."
Leaders across the spectrum stressed that violence had no place in a democracy.
The British Embassy said discussions were underway over whether the incident might affect planning for King Charles's visit to Washington, which was scheduled to begin Monday.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the injured officer had been released from the hospital.
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