CNN reviewed social media accounts linked to suspect Cole Tomas Allen, revealing a shift from gaming content to inflammatory political posts comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and encouraging gun purchases.
Background on the Suspect
The posts originate from accounts associated with 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who faces charges related to an attempted assassination of President Trump. The online activity documented shows a notable evolution in his messaging over several years.
Analysis of Online Activity
CNN examined over 4,000 posts from the X account “CForce3000” and more than 700 archived posts from the Bluesky account @coldforce.bsky.social. These accounts allegedly belong to Allen, based on matching biographical details and usernames.
- Early Content (2022): On X, Allen's initial posts focused heavily on video games, including promoting his YouTube channel featuring content about the Nintendo game Super Smash Bros..
- Political Escalation (2024): By 2024, archived tweets showed him resharing political content. Specifically, he repeatedly retweeted posts comparing Trump to Hitler and advocating for the nullification of election results. Following the attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, he also retweeted speculation suggesting the attack was staged.
- Later Activity (2025): Allen began posting on Bluesky in February 2025, shortly into a second term. This account frequently criticized the Trump administration, with one post in April 2025 stating, “Everyone already knows trump is a f**king awful person in multiple dimensions and no one has done sh*t.”
Controversial Messaging
Allen's online activity contained several highly charged messages:
- Gun Advocacy: The @coldforce account posted content encouraging firearm ownership, including a post in December 2025 stating, “Best time to buy a gun was days ago,” and “second best time is today.”
- Political Accusations: In March 2025, the account accused Trump of being a “traitor,” writing, “Put a traitor BACK in office, get treason like, I don’t understand why people are surprised by the US ripping itself apart.”
- Alleged Pre-Attack Communications: These online messages echo arguments found in a message Allen allegedly sent to family members before the attack, which outlined plans to target Trump administration officials.
Contrast with Personal Life
These inflammatory online messages contrast with reports from students who knew Allen in person. Dylan Wakayama, founder of the Asian American Civic Trust, noted that students who tutored with Allen were reportedly stunned by his arrest, with some having worked with him less than two weeks prior.
