Online claims have surfaced suggesting a link between the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting Cole Tomas Allen and US television presenter Savannah Guthrie. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, has been charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump following an attack at the Washington Hilton, where the president and senior officials were present. However, these claims are not backed by verified evidence.
Amid widespread coverage of the case, an image circulating on social media purports to show Allen standing next to Guthrie. Posts accompanying the image claim he previously worked as her driver and that his wife is employed as her assistant. Some users have also linked the claims to the disappearance of Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, who was reported missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on 1 February.
There is no verified evidence to support any connection between Allen and Savannah Guthrie. The claims appear to originate from unverified online accounts. Independent fact-checking has found no credible reports indicating that Allen worked for the television presenter or had any personal or professional relationship with her.
An AI-based fact-check cited widely online also said Allen had been identified as a teacher, mechanical engineer and game developer, and not as a former driver for Guthrie. It added there were no reports suggesting his wife worked as her assistant, and noted that some sources indicated he was not married.
Users on social media have also challenged the claims, with some describing them as “fake news” and pointing out the lack of evidence.
Savannah Guthrie has recently returned to her role on NBC’s Today programme after taking time away following her mother’s disappearance. Authorities investigating the case have not named any suspects, and forensic analysis, including DNA testing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is ongoing.
Officials have not indicated any link between the missing persons case and the shooting incident.
