Inside the Mind of a Lone Wolf Assassin

On April 26th, 31-year-old software engineer Cole Tomas Allen allegedly attempted to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. Despite having no known history of violence and recently being named “Teacher of the Year” by his tutoring program, Allen reportedly charged toward Secret Service agents armed with multiple weapons before being stopped.In this episode of The Threat, we examine the psychology, history, and evolution of the lone wolf assassin in America. From John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of President Lincoln to John Hinckley Jr.’s attempt on Ronald Reagan, what drives seemingly isolated individuals to commit acts of political violence? Are these attacks ideological, personal, or fueled by a deeper obsession with fame, power, and notoriety?Host Jonathan Schanzer is joined by Program on Extremism colleague Jeffrey Parsons, a former federal prosecutor and counterterrorism expert who spent two decades investigating terrorism and political violence in the United States and abroad, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.Together, they discuss the warning signs of lone wolf terrorism, the rise in domestic political violence, possible foreign influence operations, and how law enforcement distinguishes between dangerous rhetoric and credible threats. They also explore what more can be done to prevent political violence before it turns deadly.