Deep Dive
The Washington Hilton assassination attempt
ABC opens with breaking news of Cole Allen, a 31-year-old teacher, allegedly attempting to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton. Court filings reveal Allen checked into the hotel on the 10th floor the day before and took self-portraits showing himself armed with knives and weapons in his hotel room, which was ten floors above the ballroom where Trump, the First Lady, cabinet members, and press were gathered. Allen documented in notes that he walked in with multiple weapons and nobody questioned whether he could be a threat. Before the attack, he used his laptop to research the president's schedule and scoped out the ballroom area. The Washington Post obtained images showing Allen carrying a shotgun through metal detectors as he made his way downstairs. Law enforcement fired at him as he sprinted past, and a Secret Service agent was shot in the chest, though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch said they're still uncertain whether Allen or responding officers fired the shot that hit the agent.
Comey indicted over seashells photo
Former FBI Director James Comey surrendered to federal authorities after being indicted for a second time, this time accused of threatening President Trump's life by posting a photo of seashells on a North Carolina beach arranged in the numbers 8647. Trump claims 86 is mob slang meaning kill him, citing mob movie references where mobsters say 86 them to mean kill someone. However, Republican Senator Tom Tillis said he searched the internet and couldn't find any evidence that 8647 or the number 86 had anything to do with violent threats, suggesting the Justice Department must have additional evidence. Comey deleted the post after seeing people interpret it as a call to violence and released a video statement maintaining his innocence while vowing to fight the charges. His attorneys plan to argue vindictive prosecution, claiming the Justice Department is punishing him for criticizing the president, an argument they also raised in Comey's previous indictment which was later thrown out.
Iran war costs $25 billion as gas soars
Secretary Pete Hogseth faced a combative Capitol Hill hearing where he revealed the Iran war has cost $25 billion with no end in sight and the Strait of Hormuz blocked. Gas prices hit a new high of $4.26 per gallon, up 32 cents since the war began, as the Strait blockage disrupts oil supplies. Hogseth defended the conflict by pointing fingers at Congress, calling them reckless and defeatist, and claimed it was an astounding military success. When pressed about the original justification for the war, Hogseth said Iran's nuclear facilities have been obliterated and are being watched 24/7, contradicting the premise that an imminent nuclear threat required immediate military action just 60 days ago. Democrats grilled him on whether the nuclear weapon was truly an imminent threat if it's now completely obliterated, and he responded only that Iran hadn't given up its nuclear ambitions. President Trump posted on social media that Iran just needs to cry uncle and give up.
Severe weather streak continues into night seven
An EF3 tornado with winds up to 145 mph tore through Mineral Wells, Texas, destroying warehouses and reducing them to shredded metal and splintered wood, injuring five people. The system also dumped softball-sized hail across the region, smashing car windows at Springfield, Missouri airport. Body camera footage showed firefighters conducting a frantic rescue of a mother stuck in a car in raging flood waters in White Settlement, Texas, using jumper cables to secure her until additional help arrived. Meteorologist Lee Goldberg confirmed this marks the seventh straight night of severe weather, with tornado warnings spanning from Mississippi to Pennsylvania and active severe thunderstorm warnings in Lufkin, Baton Rouge, and Mobile. The good news, Goldberg said, is tonight should be the last night of widespread severe weather, with conditions drying out tomorrow morning and no more major severe threats expected.
Supreme Court cuts Voting Rights Act enforcement
The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision limiting the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 by restricting the use of race in determining how congressional districts are drawn. The ruling came after white voters in Louisiana challenged one of the state's two majority-Black districts as improperly drawn and relying too heavily on race. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that allowing race to play any part in government decision-making represents a departure from constitutional rule, and noted that social change and great strides in ending racial discrimination have occurred throughout the country. Under the new standard, race can only factor in congressional redistricting if there's evidence the state intentionally drew districts to give minority voters less opportunity because of their race. Democrats pointed out that under this ruling, Louisiana will have only one majority-Black district out of six despite Black voters comprising one-third of the state's population, with Justice Elena Kagan's dissent warning the consequences are likely to be far-reaching and grave.