Tucker Carlson is igniting controversy once again—this time accusing the FBI of hiding key information about the man behind the near-assassination of former President Donald Trump. The FBI is pushing back hard, insisting there is no cover-up and no deception.
The incident in question dates back to July 13, 2024, when 20-year-old Thomas Crooks climbed onto a rooftop during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle. Eight rounds were fired into the crowd. One bullet grazed Trump’s ear; firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed; two others were injured.
Seconds later, a Secret Service counter-sniper shot and killed Crooks.
More than a year later, the moment remains one of the most alarming events of the 2024 election cycle—and Carlson says the public still isn’t getting the full truth.
Carlson has spent weeks alleging that the FBI withheld what it knew about Crooks’ online activity.
He argued on X:
“The FBI said Crooks had no online footprint. That was a lie—and we can prove it.”
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According to Carlson, Crooks left a detailed trail of alarming online posts, including violent rhetoric and threats. He suggested that FBI leadership—past and present—kept the public in the dark.
FBI Fires Back: “We Never Said That”
The FBI quickly and publicly rejected Carlson’s claims.
This FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever. https://t.co/nJ6S4CWIp0
— FBI Rapid Response (@FBI_Response) November 13, 2025
“This FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint,” the bureau posted on X.
Former FBI Director Kash Patel also responded, providing an extensive breakdown of the investigation:
- 480+ FBI personnel involved
- 1,000+ interviews
- 2,000+ public tips
- 13 seized devices analyzed
- Nearly 500,000 digital files reviewed
- 25 online and social accounts examined
Patel repeated one central conclusion:
Crooks had limited online interactions, acted alone, and never shared his plans.
Carlson Says He Found More
Still, Carlson insists the bureau downplayed Crooks’ digital presence. He claims to have accessed Crooks’ Google Drive and uncovered old YouTube comments from 2019–2020 that, in his view, contradict the narrative that Crooks left no warning signs.
Bongino: “There Is No Cover-Up”
In a Nov. 21 interview with Fox News Digital, former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino dismissed the accusations entirely.
“We’ve gone over this case repeatedly. There is no cover-up—none,” he said.
He stressed that investigators found no motive, no accomplices, and no advance communication from Crooks.
Patel echoed this, explaining why law enforcement hadn’t flagged Crooks before the attack:
Law enforcement does not monitor every American’s online activity without cause.
“If someone had reported him, we would have acted immediately,” Patel said.
What Do You Think?
Tucker Carlson says the public still doesn’t know the full truth.
The FBI says the evidence is clear and complete.
And the debate keeps growing.
What’s your take on the controversy? Share your thoughts below—your perspective helps spark the conversations that matter.