Trump Blasts Former FBI Director Christopher Wray After New Thomas Crooks Details Emerge
President Donald Trump sharply criticized former FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday following the disclosure of new information about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who tried to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
Trump accused the FBI under the Biden administration of mishandling the investigation and claimed that information connected to the shooting was missing, altered or corrupted by the time he returned to the White House in January 2025. He called Wray a “dirty cop” and said the former FBI director “should pay a price” for his handling of the investigation.
Trump also alleged that the assassination attempt was a “Democrat Plot” intended to remove him from the 2024 election. He did not provide evidence supporting that allegation, and investigations into the shooting have not established that Crooks worked with Democrats or any other political organization.
Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed Tuesday that investigators recently uncovered additional information about Crooks and his background. Blanche declined to reveal all of the details but described the material as information investigators did not previously know.
Records reviewed by investigators show that Crooks used the name “Bob Dole,” apparently referring to the late Republican senator and presidential nominee, when having packages delivered. The records also indicate that he purchased firearms-related parts and tools online that could be used to modify his rifle.
Other newly disclosed information shows that an anonymous donor paid for Crooks’ cremation after the shooting. The identity of the person or organization that covered the expense has not been publicly disclosed, and there is currently no evidence connecting the payment to the assassination attempt itself.
Crooks opened fire from a rooftop overlooking Trump’s July 13, 2024, rally, firing eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Trump was wounded in the ear, rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed, and two other people were seriously injured.
The FBI investigation ultimately concluded that Crooks acted alone, and investigators have not publicly identified a definitive motive for the attack. Authorities also said they found no evidence that he had co-conspirators or that a political organization directed the shooting.
Blanche said Trump’s frustration with Wray and the FBI’s handling of the investigation dates back to the immediate aftermath of the shooting. He recalled being with Trump as information about the attack emerged and said the president’s concerns about Wray are not new.
The release of additional records has renewed scrutiny of the Butler investigation more than two years after the assassination attempt. While the documents provide additional information about Crooks’ firearms purchases, aliases and personal history, investigators have not announced evidence changing the previous conclusion that he acted alone or establishing a definitive reason why he targeted Trump.