For over a year, the attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania has haunted the American consciousness. The image of our leader, bloodied but unbowed, became an instant symbol of resilience, yet the questions surrounding that July day have festered like an untreated wound. In living rooms and online forums across the nation, theories have multiplied faster than facts, each new speculation adding another layer to an already murky narrative. Here’s the thing—we wanted answers that made sense, that justified our anger.
Now, after what the FBI calls one of the largest investigations in bureau history, new leadership has delivered their final verdict on Thomas Matthew Crooks and the Butler shooting. The conclusion, revealed in an exclusive interview with FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, promises transparency but may only deepen the divide between those who trust our institutions and those who’ve lost faith entirely.
From ‘Daily Caller’:
The FBI determined Thomas Matthew Crooks acted alone when he shot President Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally in July 2024. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino revealed the conclusion during an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday. The massive probe involved 485 FBI employees and more than 1,000 interviews worldwide. Officials described it as one of the largest investigations in bureau history.
An Unprecedented Investigation
The scope of this investigation defies comparison. It took 485 FBI agents. That’s more manpower than most small-town police departments see in a decade. These agents conducted over 1,000 interviews and reviewed half a million electronic files. They examined 13 electronic devices and 35 accounts linked to Crooks, including foreign email accounts from Germany and Belgium that sparked initial concerns about international involvement. Every lead was pursued. Every connection examined. Yet the conclusion remains unvarnished in its simplicity: Crooks acted alone.
Director Patel emphasized that this wasn’t just another investigation—it was personal. “We fully briefed the president, as a victim of this case, at the White House, providing him with all of the details of our investigation, and the president was satisfied with the results,” Patel stated. The investigation accessed every single account, contrary to reports suggesting encryption blocked investigators. No foreign government, no shadowy organization, no hidden accomplice emerged from the exhaustive probe.
The numbers tell a story of thoroughness that should satisfy any reasonable standard. More than 2,000 tips reviewed. Over 100 subpoenas served. Coordination with multiple foreign governments. Yet for many Americans, particularly those who’ve watched federal agencies stumble through scandal after scandal, numbers alone won’t restore faith. Can you blame them?
Confronting the Conspiracy Theories
Deputy Director Bongino addressed the elephant in the room with characteristic directness: “The rage, the anger, I totally get it. I’m with you. [Trump] is a friend of ours, he was shot in the head on live television—we want an explanation, too.” Here’s where it gets interesting—and frustrating. The explanation that emerges from the evidence is anticlimactic. No manifesto. No grand conspiracy. No second shooter near the water tower. Just a troubled 20-year-old who left more questions than answers.
The investigation thoroughly debunked several persistent theories. That figure near the water tower? A Pennsylvania State Police officer. The foreign email accounts? Fully accessed within days, revealing zero sinister communications. The explosive device found in Crooks’ vehicle with its receiver mysteriously in the “off” position? Simple human error, not evidence of a larger plot. Even allegations about Crooks’ online connections to extremist groups crumbled under scrutiny.
Patel didn’t mince words about why these theories persist: “Many people make a lot of money on social media pushing conspiracy theories for clicks. That is a fact.” It’s a hard truth for those who’ve invested emotional energy in alternative explanations. The evidence simply doesn’t support anything beyond a lone gunman scenario. And yes, that’s deeply unsatisfying.
A Different FBI Under Patel
The contrast between the current FBI leadership and their predecessors couldn’t be starker. Remember Wray’s embarrassing hedge about whether it was even a bullet? Please. Patel pointedly criticized former Director Christopher Wray’s testimony to Congress: “The whole world knew it was a bullet. For the number one law enforcement officer to say that—it causes a massive disbelief in the institution that Dan and I are now running.”
The question remains whether this transparency offensive can overcome years of accumulated distrust. When institutions lose credibility, even the most thorough investigations become suspect. Every debunked theory spawns two more. Every answered question raises three new ones. It’s the price of institutional failure—once trust evaporates, even truth struggles to fill the vacuum.
Key Takeaways
- FBI’s massive investigation involving 485 agents concluded Crooks acted completely alone
- New leadership under Patel provides unprecedented transparency versus Wray’s evasiveness
- No foreign connections, manifestos, or second shooters found despite exhaustive probe
- Trust in federal institutions remains fractured despite comprehensive evidence
Sources: Daily Caller, Fox News
