During a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, then-candidate Donald Trump was shot at by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. Trump suffered a non–life-threatening injury to his ear, but the attack tragically claimed the life of a volunteer fire chief and wounded two others. Crooks fired eight rounds from a nearby rooftop with an AR-15-style rifle.
In the immediate aftermath, Trump told supporters that “time stood still” and that the gunman “did not succeed in his goal.” A spokesperson confirmed he was treated at a local facility and remained in stable condition. Later, during his inauguration speech, Trump stated, “I was saved by God to make America great again.”
Following the incident, the FBI initially said it had little information about Crooks. However, speculation soon grew that the bureau withheld key details. Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas, leading a congressional task force, alleged that investigators denied access to important materials relevant to the attempted assassination.
“We definitely got stonewalled,” Fallon said, arguing that information the task force eventually received did not match what the FBI first claimed. The group ultimately determined that the attack had been preventable.
In a 2024 briefing, former FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate revealed investigators had uncovered more than 700 online comments believed to be written by Crooks, many containing antisemitic or anti-immigrant sentiments. Fallon insisted none of this was shared with the task force and questioned whether the omission was deliberate or negligent.
Fallon said he plans to speak with Chairman James Comer about calling Abbate back for further questioning. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson claimed officials concealed what they knew and pointed to Crooks’ digital history as evidence.
Former officials pushed back. FBI Director Kash Patel cited the extensive scope of the investigation: more than 1,000 interviews, 2,000 tips, and thousands of digital files. Yet former FBI Special Agent Jody Weis argued the bureau still failed to identify the threat beforehand.
He questioned how investigators could not detect Crooks’ motives, calling the oversight difficult to understand.
