The man accused of shooting a US Secret Service agent while trying to breach security at a Washington event attended by Donald Trump is facing federal charges of attempting to assassinate the President, a judge said in court on Monday.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, also faces firearms charges.
Mr Allen allegedly opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, an annual black-tie gathering of journalists and politicians, at the Washington Hilton.
He allegedly fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a post inside the hotel before being tackled and arrested, according to authorities.
He has not yet responded to the allegations. The judge ordered Mr Allen to be temporarily held in custody before a detention hearing on Thursday.
Before the shooting, Mr Allen allegedly left a manifesto with family members referring to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and discussing plans to attack senior Trump administration officials, who were present in the hotel ballroom.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the Saturday night attack as the third major assassination attempt against Mr Trump, and blamed political opponents for increasing tension.
"Much of the manifesto of the would-be assassin is indistinguishable from the words that we hear daily from so many," Ms Leavitt said, blaming Democrats for calling the President an authoritarian.
Prominent Democrats have condemned the shooting.
Mr Trump said on Sunday that the suspected gunman who opened fire at the dinner was a "sick guy".
"When you read his manifesto - he hates Christians, that's one thing for sure," he told Fox News, adding that he believed the suspect's sister had complained to law enforcement about his behaviour.
