Executive Summary
- The FBI has issued a public statement refuting commentator Tucker Carlson’s claim that the agency lied about the online presence of Thomas Crooks, the 2024 would-be assassin of President Donald Trump.
- Carlson released a report alleging he had evidence of Crooks’ extensive digital footprint, which he claimed the FBI had tried to suppress.
- The FBI’s denial was posted from a social media account established in November 2025, distinguishing the current agency’s statements from those made under previous leadership.
- Thomas Crooks was killed by Secret Service agents after opening fire on a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has publicly refuted claims by commentator Tucker Carlson that the agency was dishonest about the extent of the online presence of Thomas Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump in July 2024. In a post on the social media platform X, the FBI stated it had never claimed that Crooks lacked an ‘online footprint,’ directly contradicting the premise of a report Carlson released.
The dispute began when Carlson announced he had evidence of Crooks’ online activities, which he alleged the FBI had worked to conceal. In a subsequent video report, Carlson presented material purportedly from Crooks’ Google Drive, including video of him handling a weapon, and information linking him to various online accounts such as Snapchat, Venmo, and Discord. Carlson argued this material proved a robust online presence, contrary to what he claimed was the FBI’s official narrative.
In response, the official ‘FBI Rapid Response’ account on X posted, “This FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.” The article notes this account was created in November 2025, after the start of a second Trump administration, and suggests the FBI may be drawing a distinction between its current statements and those made under previous leadership. The original statement regarding Crooks’ limited online presence, cited by some in response to the FBI’s post, was attributed to former FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate in July 2024.
Thomas Crooks, 20, was killed by a U.S. Secret Service sniper on July 13, 2024, after he opened fire on a presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired eight shots from a rooftop, injuring two attendees, killing one, and grazing President Trump’s ear before being neutralized. The incident prompted the resignation of the Secret Service Director and a review that called for significant reforms within the agency.
Summary of the Dispute
The core of the issue centers on a direct conflict between Carlson’s reporting, which accuses the FBI of a cover-up, and the agency’s carefully worded denial. The FBI’s response focuses specifically on statements made by the agency under its current leadership, leaving open the interpretation of comments made by officials from a prior administration.