The suspect in the correspondents’ dinner shooting is charged with attempting to assassinate the president. Jimmy Kimmel responds to Trump’s calls to fire him. And the OpenAI trial begins with a tricky question for jurors.
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Suspect charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at correspondents’ dinner
The suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was charged with attempting to assassinate the president of the United States during his first court appearance following Saturday’s shooting. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was also charged with transportation of a firearm and ammunition through interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, as well as discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Allen faces life in prison if convicted of the assassination attempt charge.
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Allen made his initial appearance in front of federal magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh in Washington and was charged with three criminal counts. He answered rudimentary questions from the judge — his full name, age, level of education, an understanding of his rights — in a soft voice. As he walked in, Allen scanned the public gallery, where 40 to 50 members of the press and public sat.
A hearing is set for Thursday to determine whether Allen should be held in pre-trial detention. Allen’s attorneys said he has no prior charges and is presumed innocent.
Read more about the charges against Allen.
More coverage of the correspondents’ dinner shooting:
- A witness recalls the silent, terrifying moment a gunman rushed security at the Washington Hilton.
- Conspiracy theories spread so quickly after the attack after the shooting that even Trump took note. It highlights how a knee-jerk skepticism of current events has become the default response for many Americans, deepened by the loss of trust in institutions and supercharged by starkly partisan politics.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, White House communications director Steven Cheung and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt bashed journalists and Democrats for what they called divisive rhetoric.
- A group fighting to halt the construction of Trump’s White House ballroom said it will not drop its lawsuit despite the Justice Department’s request.
- Republicans are divided on whether to make taxpayers foot the bill for the ballroom.
Jimmy Kimmel defends joke after Trump’s call for his ouster
Jimmy Kimmel defended the joke that sparked the ire of the president and first lady in his late-night TV show last night, hours after the couple called for ABC to fire him. The joke at the center of the conflict was made last Thursday during a skit on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” mocking the annual White House correspondents’ dinner. “You have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said of Melania Trump.
The annual dinner was cut short two days later when authorities say Cole Tomas Allen opened fire. Yesterday, Trump and Melania Trump criticized Kimmel and called on ABC to fire him. The Committee for the First Amendment, a free speech advocacy group led by actor Jane Fonda, chimed in and criticized Trump for urging the network to take such action.
Last night, Kimmel said the quip was “obviously a joke about their age difference,” adding sarcastically, “and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together.” Kimmel said he was sorry for the Trumps and anyone else who had to experience the shooting.
Here’s what else Kimmel said last night.
The new global dynamics shaping the next phase of oil prices
Peace talks between U.S. and Iranian officials have stalled, sending oil prices higher while a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz remains. Without a clear resolution to the war in sight, those high prices are here to stay indefinitely, experts say. Now, three emerging forces are at work and will likely lead to what one analyst is calling an “extended stagflationary shock” both for the U.S. and for the world.
First, the world’s backup supply of crude oil products is rapidly being depleted. The ongoing supply deficit means the market will ration remaining oil supplies by increasing their price — and that will lead to the second factor: demand destruction. Finally, alternative sources of fuel production outside the Middle East are not going to make up for the shortage.
Here’s a more detailed look at what’s going on.
In the meantime, the U.S. appeared skeptical about a new Iranian proposal that would end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz without resolving the impasse over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Tehran’s latest offer looked “better” than past pitches, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last night, after it was discussed by Trump and his national security team. But there was little sign that Washington might be willing to abandon its naval blockade and accept the offer.
Ron DeSantis releases new congressional maps for Florida
The Florida Legislature is set to begin a special session today to consider a proposed redraw of the state’s congressional lines that, on paper, would create four new Republican-leaning seats. The current congressional maps give Republicans a 20-8 advantage over Democrats. That number could change to 24-4 under the new plan.
While the maps are overwhelmingly expected to pass, some lawmakers have expressed annoyance about how Gov. Ron DeSantis handled the process. His office released the map to Fox News before state lawmakers had a chance to see it. And how the map was presented has some fearing legal troubles.
The aggressive political gains DeSantis and Republicans seek also have some in the party questioning whether the new map would put GOP incumbents at risk of losing future elections.
Read more about the mid-decade redistricting push.
Read All About It
- Taylor Swift filed trademark applications to protect her voice and her likeness against AI misuse. She’s not the first celebrity to do so.
- Texas Tech transfer quarterback Bredan Sorsby is checking into a residential treatment program for gambling addiction, the school said.
- A proposed “billionaire tax” in California is one step closer to appearing on the November ballot.
Staff Pick: Inside the courtroom where Elon Musk wants to take down OpenAI
On Monday I traveled the eight miles or so from San Francisco across the Bay to Oakland for the start of a federal court trial that has riveted the tech industry: Elon Musk’s quest to stop OpenAI’s transformation from a nonprofit research center into a real business.
Four hours of jury selection made a few things clear. First, as most people might guess, the jury pool in Northern California really doesn’t like Musk and his politics. Second, the jurors who will decide the course of this lawsuit are a fascinating and diverse group, with blue-collar immigrants serving alongside white-colllar retirees.
And lastly, I think it’s going to be really difficult for either Musk or OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to generate much sympathy from this nine-member jury. Some potential jurors said they never used AI. Others told the court they resented the expected job losses from the technology. And even the ones who have used AI software did not seem loyal to any one chatbot.
This trial is expected to last a month, and both sides could come out bruised by the end. — David Ingram, tech reporter
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
With the amount of pollen in the air right now, we’ve been curious: Can honey help alleviate seasonal allergies? Plus, should you switch to an Australian sunscreen or a Korean sunscreen to help protect your skin this summer?
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