FBI’s Slow Document Release Criticized

During an interview, Thomas Fitton, the President of Judicial Watch, expressed his frustration with the FBI’s sluggish pace in releasing documents related to the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks. Fitton conveyed that the agency’s current processing rates predict a twelve-year wait for access to the necessary files, which he found, well, frankly outrageous. “I’d really like to understand what the leadership at the FBI and DOJ thinks about this timeline,” he remarked.

Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice in 2025 after the FBI denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request made in July 2024 concerning the investigation of Crooks, who targeted Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The suit led to the release of various documents, including texts Crooks sent to an unidentified recipient. However, the name remains redacted, limiting any understanding about the context of these communications, which Fitton highlighted as problematic. “We have these documents as part of the investigation, but we don’t know who he was in communication with,” he said.

Fitton raised concerns over the FBI’s decision to keep this information from public view, emphasizing the public’s desire for transparency. “People want assurance that this isn’t another JFK situation,” he stated, suggesting that the FBI’s actions create the impression of a cover-up. It does feel like there’s something off when authorities don’t disclose the details about Crooks’ communications.

Messages reveal Crooks shared a string of nonsensical one- or two-word texts over several months—from May 2023 to January 2024—which seem unrelated at face value. Messages included things like “Hello red … 7888ejdj … Yolo,” a sequence that raises eyebrows.

Fitton acknowledged that any individuals who may have interacted with Crooks might have an expectation of privacy; however, he argued that the FBI needs to balance that against the public’s right to know. “The interest of the public in grasping how a former president was almost killed—in addition to the tragic deaths of two Americans—outweighs any claims of privacy in these documents,” he maintained. Unless changes happen in how quickly the court processes these requests, Fitton mentioned that their best move is to pressure the FBI and DOJ for quicker action.

Previous FOIA documents revealed that on the day of the incident, Crooks argued with rally attendees before climbing a building and firing at Trump, which left Fitton incredulous. “His behavior was so erratic and public; it wasn’t like he was hiding. He was right there, getting into it with people, then suddenly — up on the roof. Just hard to wrap your head around,” he reflected.

Fitton pointed out the staggering volume of documents—about 75,000 pages—suggests that the review process needs to be expedited. “If they’re only processing 500 pages a month, it’s going to take more than a decade,” he noted, further emphasizing how inappropriate this is. “I think the president would want this addressed quickly. It’s frustrating that the FBI is sticking to their usual low-transparency approach,” he added.

Inquiry into the matter was made to both the FBI and U.S. Secret Service for their insights.