The FBI is pushing back on claims by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, rejecting his assertion that the bureau “lied” about details involving Thomas Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill former President Donald Trump in 2024. Carlson alleged the FBI falsely said Crooks had “no online footprint,” promising to release evidence disproving that claim. The FBI Rapid Response account on X refuted this, stating, “This FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.”

More than a year after the July 13, 2024, shooting, limited information has been released about Crooks, the 20-year-old who fired eight rounds from an AR-15-style rifle at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A Secret Service sniper killed Crooks within seconds, but the incident exposed major security failures and prompted the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

On Friday, Carlson posted a 35-minute video on X that he said included material the FBI tried to suppress, including a clip from Crooks’ alleged Google Drive and screenshots of digital accounts Carlson argued demonstrated a substantial online presence contradicting the FBI’s statements.