‘I Didn’t Rape Anybody’: Trump Explodes At Reporter Over White House Dinner Shooter’s Claims

US President Donald Trump lashed out at a CBS reporter after she quoted from the alleged manifesto of Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old California man accused of trying to breach security at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night while Trump was inside the venue. The tense exchange came during a Sunday interview, where Trump angrily rejected the claims mentioned in the suspect's writings and called the attacker a "pretty sick guy".

Trump erupts when Norah O'Donnell reads from alleged manifesto

Hours after the shooting scare near the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Trump sat down with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell. The conversation began on a calmer note, with the president appearing measured as he reflected on the panic that unfolded at the event attended by journalists and political figures.

But the tone shifted sharply when O'Donnell quoted a line from the alleged manifesto, reading: "I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,"

Trump immediately fired back, accusing the media of amplifying the words of a disturbed attacker.

"I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you're horrible people. Horrible people," the President said.

"Yeah, he did write that. I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody," he added.

When O'Donnell tried to step in and asked, "Oh, do you think he was referring to you?", Trump did not pause.

"I'm not a paedophile."

He then appeared to interpret the line as an attempt to connect him to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, even though Epstein was not named in the alleged manifesto.

"You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with all -- the stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated."

Trump says reporter should be "ashamed" for quoting suspect's words

The exchange became even more heated as Trump accused O'Donnell of irresponsibly repeating the words of the accused gunman during a national interview.

"Your friends on the other side of the plate are the ones that were involved with, let's say, Epstein or other things. But I said to myself, "You know, I'll do this interview and they'll probably"-- I read the manifesto. You know, he's a sick person. But you should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I'm not any of those things," he fumed.

The outburst marked one of the most combative moments from the president's first public comments after the attempted attack at the high-profile Washington event, where he and first lady Melania Trump were present when shots rang out near the hotel ballroom.

US President calls suspected attacker "radicalised" and "anti-Christian"

Trump also used the interview to describe the alleged shooter in stark terms, saying he had reviewed the writings attributed to Allen and believed the man had become ideologically disturbed.

"I read a manifesto. He's radicalised. He was a Christian--a believer--and then he became an anti-Christian... He was probably a pretty sick guy."

According to the reported details of the incident, Cole Tomas Allen was armed with multiple guns and knives when he attempted to force his way through a security checkpoint near the White House Correspondents' dinner on Saturday night. He allegedly fired several rounds before being subdued inside the hotel complex, only metres away from the ballroom where the dinner was being held.

Trump also broadened the political argument, blaming what he called "hate speech" from Democratic leaders for contributing to a dangerous climate of political violence in the United States.

Trump says he was "not worried" and wanted to see what was happening

Despite the chaos, Trump claimed he remained composed as the situation unfolded and even resisted being moved immediately by security personnel.

"I've been through this before a couple of times, and the first lady has not to this extent. She handled it great. She's very strong... We went to a holding room for a while, and I tried to get them to continue the event if possible," he said.

The president later insisted that he "wasn't worried" when the gunfire began.

"I understand life. We live in a crazy world."

This was described as the third assassination attempt on Trump in the past two years. When asked why Vice President JD Vance was reportedly evacuated within seconds while it took longer for the Secret Service to move Trump, the president said the delay was partly because he wanted to assess the situation for himself.

"I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn't making it that easy for 'em. I wanted to see what was going on...I was surrounded by great people. And I probably made them act a little bit more slowly. I said, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Lemme see. Wait a minute"," he said.

He added that he "really" wanted to go back in.