Beltway Insider: Trump/Assassination Attempt, Redistricting, King Charles III, SCOTUS Abortion, Camp Mystic

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Saturday, 02 May 2026 16:33

Written by Janet Walker

President Donald Trump, who less than two years ago survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania Presidential rally, was targeted by a lone gunman brandishing an automatic weapon at the White House Press Corps gala event.

The President's job approval rating, according to The New York Times for the period ending May 2, 2026, of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President decreased by one percentage points to 38% and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as president remained consistent at 58%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

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Trump Survives Attempted Assassination

A lone gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, managed to sprint down the hallway of the Washington, DC Hilton, where President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet, along with the White House Press Corp were attending the annual black-tie gala event.

The shooter rushed past eleven law enforcement officers of various agencies, through the metal detector, with an automatic weapon raised, before a single officer fired upon him.

At the moment the first shot was fired, Trump was rushed off the dais by his Secret Service detail before the shooter reached the ballroom.

Selfie images of Allen appear on the Associated Press (AP) website, showing the African-American appropriately dressed for the gala and armed with a long gun, three hunting knives, and four small knives with sheaths, and a three sidearms. His intent to cause a mass casualty event, even as the judicial system finds him innocent before proven guilty, is apparent simply assessed by the weaponry he carried. It appears obvious that Allen sees his actions as necessary and legitimate.

Images obtained by The Washington Post from a security camera show Allen, with his long gun visible, sprinting through the metal detector. The images also show one officer firing upon the suspect. The security camera frames also present another scenario, as law enforcement can be seen in the upper corners of the images, that Allen would not have raised his weapon until he reached the ballroom event doors if he had not encountered the group of officers near the doors.

Other media sites present the same security footage showing Allen rushing past the Secret Service agent and out of frame before the agent even drew his weapon.

From the images it appears his plan was to blast through the group of officers, one of which appears to be Secret Service, and open the doors and begin firing. In the melee, one officer was struck in his vest and survived. There were no injuries. Allen was subdued and arrest at the scene.

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Gunman Charged

Cole Tomas Allen was charged Monday in Federal Court with attempting to assassinate the president, after he was arrested outside the ballroom of the Washington DC Hilton, where members of the press, President Trump and members of his cabinet and their wives were the event was just beginning.

"Allen made a brief court appearance Monday when a judge announced the charges, which also include transporting firearms across state lines and discharging one of them during a violent crime. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and potentially life in prison. More charges are likely to follow, said Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in D.C.," reported The Washington Post.

Much of the supporting evidence comes in the form of Allen's premediated behavior, and a five page document emailed to his family and friends apologizing for his actions. Moreover, within the document he expressly describes his intent to cause severe bodily harm and injury to certain members of the Trump cabinet and to abstain from creating injury to others.  

If convicted Allen faces life in prison.

Who is Cole Tomas Allen

Cole Tomas Allen appears to an example of the great divide within the nation that continues to grow. A part-time tutor, he assisted students with their college admission requirements. Having constant access to higher education and one would believe enlightened thinking; Allen didn't assimilate to elevated thought processes. He chose to voice his disgust through violence.

Whether he chose to be a part of the gig economy or circumstances including lack of high paying jobs or the post pandemic shift from onsite to remote, forced him into a side hustle, he didn't present himself as one teetering on the edge.

"The 31-year-old the described himself as "Friendly Federal Assassin" and railed against recent actions taken by the U.S. government under Trump, though he did not name the Republican president directly, The writings ran more than a thousand words and read as a rambling, deeply personal message, opening almost jarringly with a casual "hello everybody!" before shifting into apologies to family members, co-workers, fellow travelers and even strangers he feared could be caught in the violence. The note moved between confession, grievance and farewell, with Allen thanking people in his life even as he sought to explain the attack," reported The Associated Press.

The White House Correspondents dinner is usually when the media is able to roast the president by a comedian with some good natured ribbing, followed by a speech by the president. The black tie gala is a fund-raising event.

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King Charles III Addresses Congress

His Royal Highness King Charles III, and Queen Camilla were in Washington D.C. where the King meet with President Trump and enjoyed a state dinner in his honor, as part of the British Royal couple's six day state visit that included stops in New York City and Virginia.

"During his first state visit to the United States as monarch, Charles stayed scrupulously nonpartisan over the course of a 28-minute address to a joint meeting of Congress. But he promoted what he described as centuries of common interests, including in areas where President Donald Trump has sought a sharp break from U.S. precedent in his drive to reshape American society and governance," reported The Washington Post.

The Royal couple also visited the 9/11 Memorial to commemorate those killed during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, with a wreath-laying in New York alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

King Charles, who is a dedicated conservationist, also visited the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah National Park. The visit marks the king's first U.S. trip since his coronation and is taking place during the lead‑up to the United States' 250th anniversary.

Republicans Propose Redistricting in Hail Mary

In a desperate attempt to secure a mid-term election house win for the White House, stalwart republican leaders, including Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis, and Louisiana's Governor Jeff Landry, are quickly redrawing district maps in their home states, in the hope that Republican voters will upend the expected democratic wave.

In Louisiana, Governor Landry suspended the upcoming house primaries so the new districts, which are expected to favor republicans can pass. Like many states, the most populous cities tend to have a high demographic mix which can actually cause traditionally republican states to swing democrat. Louisiana is one of those states. With three major cities, Shreveport, Baton rouge, and New Orleans voters within these cities can actually swing the election.

Landry's "executive order followed a Supreme Court decision Wednesday that found Louisiana had unlawfully discriminated by race when it created a second majority-Black congressional district under legal pressure. A new Louisiana map would position Republicans to gain one or two seats in the midterms," reported The Washington Post.

Redistricting has not been limited to the desperation of the Republicans. With each attempt to change voting districts to reflect more favorably for the GOP, the Democrats follow. At this time, California has passed Prop 50 which will potentially give the democrats five additional seats. That move was matched by Texas, which met some resistance, but expects to gain five likely republican seats.

Florida has also followed unveiling a redistricting map that could potentially give the republicans an additional four congressional seats.

The hope for republicans is that in November the base will vote and the effort will produce a majority win for the president. Conversely, the possibility that voters are fed up with politics as usual and will vote democrat. The sentiment among the population is send them all home and start over.

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SCOTUS Asked to Restore Mifepristone

Mifepristone, the abortion pill widely used and prescribed through telemedicine, has been momentarily banned from use, forcing providers to immediately stop dispersing the most common drug used to induce abortion.

While the Abortion debate will continue to galvanize both sides of the aisle, with prolife advocates asserting biblical principals and the tenants of Christianity as the foundation for its often gorilla and violent protesting tactics and pro choice believers advocate that my body my rules, a complete hands off, a laissez-faire approach to the governments control over personal medical decisions.

Abortion is a choice, and as theology attests God's greatest gift to mankind is choice. Throughout the Bible from the Genesis 1:1 through to Revelations, we see repeatedly the action of choice. Granted as with the Garden of Eden, not all choices work out to the best advantage of mankind.

In the New Testament every miracle in the Bible is prefaced with choice, stretch out your arm, pick up your mat and walk, there is not a miracle or an advancement of the tenants of Christianity that is not built on choice. If God greatest gift to mankind is choice, choose today whom you'll serve, don't we owe the same to our fellow man?

The United States Supreme Court in 2022 reversed the long held Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal in all states. Immediately following the decision, many states banned abortion entirely, in all cases, without consideration. The polarizing and contentious issue has continued to be subject to litigation, especially in this wave of Republican led favor, which many hope will set women's right back to the 1950s when back alley abortions were the only possibility.

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Coronavirus Total

At the order of the President of the United States, the U.S. no longer recognizes the value of The World Health Organization. The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens should receive at least one shot of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, annually.  The death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases continue each week, fewer are dying from each new variants.

For the 7 days ending May 2, 2026, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by the World Health Organization increased by 11,741 to 779,213,537. The total worldwide death toll increased by 74 to 7,114,356 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated April 12, 2026, from the World Health Organization).

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Camp Mystic Withdraws Reopen Application

Camp Mystic, the Hill Country Texas All Girl's Summer Camp, were 27 campers and two counselors were killed over the Fourth of July after a catastrophic flood, has withdrawn its petition to reopen.

"No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July's tragedy," said the statement, which was sent to parents of 825 girls who had registered to attend the Christian camp in Central Texas starting May 30," reported The Washington Post.

The cataclysmic storm, a Mesoscale Convective Vortex, essentially sat over the Hill Country, and in a circular fashion dumped more than 20 inches of rainfall when the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in 45 minutes creating a deadly 27 foot wall of water.

During the initial efforts to evacuate, Dick Eastland, 70, who died attempting to rescue campers, one of the owners, along with his son prioritized securing the camps equipment and animals over the lives and safety of the campers.

When the sun rose on July 5, Camp Mystic suffered the worst tragedy in its existence, as 27 campers and counselors, including the Bubble Inn, which housed 13 young campers and two counselors were swept away in the flood.  

For more information on President Donald Trump: Whitehouse.gov.

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five award-winning screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," a non-fiction narrative, "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," and "Songs of Freedom: A Collection of Biblical Teachings," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Authors Guild, the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.