Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on Sunday that the shooting incident at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner should serve as a catalyst for Congress to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Blanche's Remarks on 'Meet the Press'
Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche emphasized the urgency of the situation. "The fact that DHS is not being funded after what we saw those men and women doing last night should be a wake-up call to Congress, and I hope that it is," he said. Funding for DHS lapsed on February 14 following Senate Democrats' demands for policy changes at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, triggered by the fatal shootings of two Americans by federal agents.
Details of the Security Breach
Moderator Kristen Welker inquired about how the armed suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, managed to breach the security checkpoint. Blanche explained, "We believe he was staying at the hotel. So I know there's been some reports about assembling the gun somewhere outside of his room or somewhere else in the hotel. We're still investigating that. We don't have all the answers on how he got far. But the perimeter is the perimeter." He added, "So necessarily if somebody's outside the perimeter and they try to breach it, assuming they don't get very far, that's what we want law enforcement to stop, and they did. And that's a real testament. I know there's some video out there that shows his efforts to break through, and you saw these Secret Service agents; they were remarkable."
Assurances of Safety
Despite the DHS funding dispute, Blanche asserted that America remains safe. "What we saw last night with law enforcement was something that should be a testament to every single American that they have men and women protecting them not only outside these borders with our great military, but also inside these borders with law enforcement," he said.
The full interview with Blanche on Meet the Press is available for viewing below.
