AI Summary
5 min readThe third apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump in nine months unfolded not at a rally or a public event, but inside the Washington Hilton ballroom during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a black-tie gathering of journalists and politicians. The gunman, 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from Torrance, California, ran past a security checkpoint at 8:32 p.m., just as the first course—burrata salad—was being served. Secret Service agents tackled him before he could reach the ballroom. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were rushed away. An officer was injured. Trump, still in his tuxedo, later gave a press conference, praising the agents: “He was like a blur on tape.” The Hilton is the same hotel where John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:10) **White House Correspondents Dinner Assassination Attempt** - A gunman tries to breach the ballroom where Donald Trump is dining, reviving questions about Secret Service competence.
- 2 (06:26) **Third Assassination Attempt and Political Violence in America** - The episode marks the third probable attempt on Trump's life, sparking debate on whether political violence is rising.
- 3 (09:22) **Dialing Down Rhetoric on American Democracy** - The incident serves as a reminder to be careful with language about existential peril.
- 4 (10:58) **Germany's Top General on Once-in-a-Generation Rearmament** - General Carsten Breuer discusses Germany's military transformation after years of neglect, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- 5 (14:47) **Spending Priorities: Legacy Systems vs. Innovation** - Debate over whether Germany is pouring money into fighting the last war.
- 6 (16:28) **Two Key Challenges: Bureaucracy and Manpower** - Germany faces hurdles in procurement and boosting soldier numbers.
- 7 (18:10) **The Ghost at the Feast: Uncertainty Over US Security Guarantee** - Germany's rearmament is driven by fears that Donald Trump may follow through on threats to withdraw from NATO.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
After a gunman stormed Donald Trump’s dinner with the press, questions are being revived about the president’s security. Germany’s top general explains the country’s new defence strategy. And listeners respond to our Weekend Intelligence episode on the passport bros who go abroad to find “a good woman”.
Guests and host:
- John Prideaux, host of “Checks and Balance” and US editor
- Tom Nuttall, Berlin bureau chief
- Carla Subirana, reporter
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-hosts of “The intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Donald Trump, assassination attempt, White House dinner, Cole Tomas Allen
- Carsten Breuer, Bundeswehr, NATO, Ukraine
- Passport bros, tradwife, misogyny
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