President Donald Trump lashed out at CBS “60 Minutes” host Norah O’Donnell during a tense interview on April 26, calling her “a disgrace” for reading passages from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect’s manifesto .
The exchange occurred when O’Donnell quoted suspect Cole Tomas Allen’s writing: “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes” .
“Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you’re horrible people,” Trump responded. “Yeah, he did write that. I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody” .
When O’Donnell asked if the suspect was referring to him, Trump grew more agitated. “Excuse me. I’m not a pedophile. You read that crap from some sick person?” he said . “Your friends on the other side of the plate are the ones that were involved with, let’s say, Epstein or other things” .
“You should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I’m not any of those things,” Trump continued. “You’re a disgrace. But go ahead. Let’s finish the interview” .
Trump described the 31-year-old suspect as “a sick person” who had undergone a radical transformation from Christian believer to “anti-Christian” . He also recounted resisting Secret Service agents during the evacuation, saying he “wanted to see what was happening” .
Allen remains in federal custody. He faces charges including assault on a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence
