The FBI has publicly rejected allegations made by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson regarding the bureau\u2019s handling of information about Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump in July 2024. Carlson claimed the FBI \u201clied\u201d when it allegedly said Crooks had \u201cno online footprint,\u201d and he promised evidence to disprove this. In response, the FBI Rapid Response account on X firmly denied ever making such a statement, asserting, \u201cThis FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.\u201d The exchange set off renewed public debate about transparency surrounding the investigation.<\/p>\n
More than a year after the shooting, details about Crooks remain limited. During a 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks fired eight rounds from an AR-15-style rifle from a rooftop, grazing Trump\u2019s ear and killing one spectator while injuring two others. A Secret Service counter-sniper fatally shot him within seconds. The attack revealed significant security failures and led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. An independent review later concluded the agency required \u201cfundamental reform\u201d in its operations and protocols.<\/p>\n
In a 35-minute video posted Friday morning, Carlson presented what he described as suppressed material, including footage allegedly pulled from Crooks\u2019 Google Drive. The clip showed Crooks dry-firing a weapon at paper targets. Carlson also shared what he claimed were details of Crooks\u2019 online presence, citing YouTube comments and numerous digital accounts linked through Crooks\u2019 phone number. He asserted that Gmail addresses, social media accounts, financial app profiles, and various online platforms demonstrated a \u201crobust online footprint,\u201d contradicting the FBI\u2019s supposed earlier position.<\/p>\n
Carlson questioned why the FBI asked whether he had verified the accounts, calling the request unnecessary because he felt the authenticity was \u201cself-evident.\u201d Meanwhile, the FBI Rapid Response account emphasized that it represents the bureau\u2019s current leadership and was created only in November 2025, meaning earlier comments from former officials would not contradict its statement. Although online users circulated a screenshot showing an attached Community Note referencing former Deputy Director Paul Abbate, the note was later removed. The FBI maintained its stance, reiterating on November 14, \u201cThis FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The FBI has publicly rejected allegations made by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson regarding the bureau\u2019s handling of information about Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n