In an eye-opening documentary, broadcaster Tucker Carlson has unveiled a disturbing digital footprint left by Thomas Crooks, the individual behind the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in the previous year. The documentary, which aired on November 14, 2025, brings to light Crooks' online activities dating from 2019 to 2020, including a plethora of threats aimed at political figures and extreme ideological statements.
"The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees revealed Crooks had limited online and in person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone." - FBI Director Kash Patel
The investigation into Crooks' background, as reported by Carlson, points to an extensive trail of radicalization that contradicts the FBI's portrayal of him as an isolated extremist. According to Carlson, the breakthrough came from connecting Crooks' phone number to his Gmail account, which in turn linked to several social media platforms such as YouTube and Snapchat. These accounts were deactivated post the attempted assassination, but not before Crooks had made 737 public comments, shared videos, and conducted concerning search histories.
Carlson's documentary highlighted various comments by Crooks that indicate a progression in his violent and radical views. Notably, Crooks made threats against political figures, called for violence against certain ethnic groups, and expressed a desire for a dictatorship to eliminate progressives. His comments also revealed a preoccupation with firearms and tactics suggestive of violent insurrection.
The narrative took a turn when Crooks began criticizing radical left views, particularly in relation to COVID-19 restrictions, demonstrating a complex and often contradictory set of beliefs. His online activity came to an abrupt halt following an exchange with an individual linked to a Swedish far-right terrorist group.
In the aftermath of the assassination attempt, Crooks was fatally shot by Secret Service agents. The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, had previously concluded that Crooks acted alone with minimal online presence and without sharing his intentions with others. However, Carlson's findings have sparked discussions on potential oversights by law enforcement in monitoring and acting upon signs of radicalization.
The documentary has raised questions about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms to prevent such threats and the importance of scrutinizing online activity as an indicator of potential violence.
