An investigative team associated with Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson reported on Friday that Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is seen as Donald Trump’s first would-be assassin, underwent a swift transformation from a Trump supporter to an outspoken critic.
According to details given to Carlson, investigators accessed Crooks’ accounts using methods typical of private inquiries and stumbled upon his main email and an inactive YouTube channel. His comments on the platform, particularly those made in February 2020, indicated a drastic shift in his views. He described Trump supporters as “brainwashed, stupid, and racist,” a notable change from his earlier support, Carlson noted.
In July 2019, Crooks voiced his admiration for Trump on YouTube, labeling him “the literal definition of patriotism,” even advocating violence against an anti-Trump congresswoman. Carlson has also reportedly called for extreme action against “Democrats who hate Trump.”
By early 2020, it seemed Crooks’ perspective had altered significantly. He posted comments in January suggesting Trump exhibited “stupidity” and criticized the notion of a “deep state,” asserting that supporters sounded cult-like.
“How can you call others sheep when you are one yourself?” Crooks supposedly wrote. The confusion he expressed about the actions of Trump supporters accompanied his observation that they appeared “awake” while also sounding remarkably cult-like.
Carlson alleged that Crooks expressed a strong belief that many people are inherently racist, stating, “We don’t need the deep state for that.” In May 2020, he dismissed concerns around voter fraud as “ignorant” and suggested that Trump could secure another victory in 2024. He also reportedly called for “terrorist-style attacks” as a means to challenge the government.
Carlson commented that while Trump surprisingly won the presidency in 2016 and could do so again, the election results might not change the overall situation. Crooks reportedly detailed plans for carrying out attacks, mentioning the need to “sneak a bomb” into government buildings. He suggested that direct confrontations would be unwise, preferring ambushes or surprise strikes instead.
Allegations emerged that a YouTube user with the name Willy Tepes encouraged Crooks to resort to violence. During mid-2019, Crooks was said to have searched for Trump’s name over 700 times online, looking for locations suitable for mass shootings, and reportedly researched how to operate an AR-15 and create “fertilizer bombs.”
Carlson accused the FBI of misleading the public about Crooks’ evolving views. The FBI responded, stating it has been open about the online activities of Crooks and never claimed he lacked an online presence.
Further complicating matters, the FBI noted that they found “no definitive ideology or motive” associated with Crooks’ actions in a previous announcement from August 2024. The agency did not immediately comment on the article.
