Investigation into Assassination Attempt on Trump Raises Questions

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt addressed concerns stemming from a probe by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. She emphasized that Americans “deserve answers” regarding the motives behind the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.

During an appearance on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Levitt expressed frustration with the lack of clarity surrounding Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania. Crooks was shot and killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper after opening fire at a campaign rally in Butler, narrowly missing Trump and leading to one death and multiple injuries.

“These questions definitely need to be answered. I understand why the public wants them answered, and I believe the president does too,” Levitt remarked. “I think every American would agree.”

On November 14, Carlson unveiled a mini-documentary following an investigation into Crooks’ digital presence, which contradicted the FBI’s claim that he left “no online footprint.” In reality, Carlson found a “detailed digital trail” filled with violent threats and calls for political violence.

Carlson pointed out on a social media post before the documentary’s release that the FBI had claimed Crooks lacked a digital footprint, suggesting they lied given the evidence he had gathered.

“The FBI told us Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump, but there was supposedly no online footprint. We have his posts that prove otherwise. The question is: why?” Carlson stated.

His investigation also scrutinized emails related to Crooks, uncovering several violent comments on YouTube. One notable comment from Crooks stated: “In terrorist-style attacks, sneak bombs into important buildings and detonate them before anyone sees them…”

Additionally, Carlson noted that communications between Crooks and an online user known as “Willy_Tepes” were linked to the Nordic Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi group in the Nordic countries, recognized by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. This user encouraged Crooks to act on his violent thoughts.

On August 4, 2020, “Willy_Tepes” messaged Crooks, stating: “If all you need is a gun and a badge, authority clearly comes from the muzzle of a gun…” He added, “There is no way to avoid war at the moment, so we better get used to the idea.”

The recent revelations have put the FBI under scrutiny for their earlier claims that Crooks had a minimal online presence and showed no signs of a motive for the assassination attempt. Christopher Wray, the former FBI Director, had previously testified that Crooks was not a person of interest before the incident, and Congressional reports did not reflect Carlson’s findings.

FBI Director Kash Patel detailed the extensive efforts made in Crooks’ investigation, claiming over 480 agents were involved and that they conducted thousands of interviews. Patel stated that Crooks had limited interactions, executed the attack alone, and kept his plans secret.

Nonetheless, Levitt maintained that President Trump and other officials are still concerned about this situation. She mentioned that Trump had reached out to both the Secret Service and the FBI for clarity, indicating he has questioned what has been learned since the initial briefing after the Butler event.

“I can’t speak for him, but I know he has wanted to understand what happened more comprehensively,” Levitt concluded.