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US politics as it happened: Trump becomes hostile in 60 Minutes interview after manifesto revealed of alleged White House Correspondents’ dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen; Iran offers new deal over Strait of Hormuz reopening

Jack Gramenz and Caroline Schelle
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

What happened today
Albanese texts Trump after shooting
‘You shouldn’t be reading that’: Trump calls reporter ‘a disgrace’
Trump ‘wasn’t making it that easy’ for Secret Service to extract him
Penny Wong on oil supply mission as peace talks stall
Israel strikes in Lebanon as fragile ceasefire strained
Trump: Iran can call to forge peace agreement, Pakistan talks scrapped
Trump to discuss Correspondents’ dinner in US 60 Minutes interview
Pinned post from 5.50pm on Apr 27, 2026
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What happened today

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Thank you for reading our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East and the shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Our live blog has closed for the evening but will resume tomorrow.

Here’s what we covered today:

  • US President Donald Trump became hostile during an interview on 60 Minutes when confronted with parts of the alleged shooter’s manifesto. Interviewer Norah O’Donnell quoted from a document in which alleged gunman Cole Tomas Allen apparently wrote: “I’m no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sent a text message to Trump following the weekend’s shooting at the dinner.
  • The suspected shooter Cole Tomas Allen is expected to face federal court on Monday (US time) charged with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer.
  • Iran has reportedly presented a new proposal to the US on a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, amid a stalemate in talks. But the deal would postpone discussions over Iran’s nuclear program, which the US demands be suspended.

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China condemns shooting at Washington dinner

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A spokesperson for China’s foreign minister has spoken about the shooting at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Spokesperson Lin Jian said China always opposes and condemns unlawful and violent acts.

Reuters

Erdogan offers support to Trump after Washington shooting

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan offered his support for US President Donald Trump in a phone call following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

“President Erdogan said he saw the incident as a heinous act against democracy and press freedom,” the presidency said in a statement on X.

View post on X

Earlier, Erdoğan had condemned the incident in a separate statement on social media, and said he was happy Trump and first lady Melania Trump were unharmed.

Reuters

Brother of alleged DC gunman reached out to police

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The brother of the accused Washington gunman reached out to police about his manifesto, The Associated Press reports.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, is accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend.

US President Donald Trump shared a photo of the alleged gunman.Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump

The suspect’s brother contacted police in Connecticut after he received a copy of the manifesto, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The New London Police Department said in a statement on social media it was contacted at 10.49pm, about two hours after the shooting, by an individual who wanted to share information.

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Iranian minister labels US demands ‘excessive’ but signals progress

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Iran’s foreign minister said there were developments in the negotiations with the US, Al Jazeera reports.

Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Russia, ahead of his meeting with Vladimir Putin.

This is what Al Jazeera reported the foreign minister said about negotiations:

There have been developments in the negotiation process, and the incorrect approaches and excessive demands of the United States have prevented the previous round of negotiations from achieving its objectives, despite some progress.”

He said he and Pakistan would continue to discuss under what conditions it would take for negotiations with the US to resume.

Oil prices rise after peace talks stall

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Oil prices increased after efforts to resume peace talks over the Iran war stalled, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining virtually impassable and extending disruptions in the Middle East that have roiled global markets.

Brent climbed as much as 2.5 per cent to $US107.97 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate advanced toward $US97, before giving up some gains after Axios reported Tehran offered the US a fresh proposal to open the strait.

A man and woman on an Iranian beach look out at ships anchored in the Strait of Hormuz.Getty Images

Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip by his top envoys to Pakistan, which is mediating talks, while Iran said it won’t negotiate if it’s being threatened.

A ceasefire has mostly held in place since early April, but a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by both the US and Iran cut daily transits through the key waterway to near zero.

‘Very productive’, Iranian foreign minister says of Pakistan trip

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the trip to Pakistan was “very productive”, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.

According to reports from IRNA, the Iranian state news agency, the foreign minister said his trip involved “good consultations”.

Officials in Pakistan there “reviewed past events and the specific conditions under which negotiations between Iran and the US could continue”, Araghchi said.

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Iranian foreign minister reportedly arrives in Russia

By Caroline Schelle

Returning to news about Iran’s foreign minister, who has reportedly arrived in the Russian city of St Petersburg for talks with senior officials including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Al Jazeera reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his aim was for “close consultations between Tehran and Moscow on regional and international issues”.

The news organisation reported Araghchi said the meeting with the Russian president would be an opportunity to “discuss developments in the war”.

“I am confident that these consultations and coordination between the two countries in this regard will be of particular importance,” the foreign minister said, according to reports.

Alleged shooter’s manifesto says he was targeting Trump officials

By Michael Koziol

A manifesto allegedly written by the suspected gunman in the minutes before his rampage at the correspondents’ dinner suggests he was targeting a broad range of Trump administration officials and referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin”.

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from California, is due to appear in court on Monday (US time) after he allegedly charged through security armed with a handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun, injuring a Secret Service agent, at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night.

US President Donald Trump shared a photo of the alleged gunman.Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump

President Donald Trump confirmed the manifesto’s existence, and said it showed the suspect was a “sick” and “very troubled guy” who hated Christians.

“He had a lot of hatred in his heart for quite a while,” Trump told Fox News.

Read the full story from our North America correspondent here.

Albanese texts Trump after shooting

By Nick Newling

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sent a text message to US President Donald Trump following this weekend’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

It is unclear what the message said, or whether it received a reply from the president.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meeting with US President Donald Trump in October.Getty Images

The two leaders have spoken several times over the phone since Trump’s re-election in 2024, and met in person in October of last year. News of the message from Albanese to Trump was originally reported in The Nightly, and was later confirmed by the prime minister’s office.

One year ago today, during an election debate between Albanese and then-opposition leader Peter Dutton, the prime minister said he did not have Trump’s phone number and didn’t believe the leader had a mobile phone. At the time, Albanese said it was rare for world leaders to text each other.

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