Trump Family Explodes Over FBI Secrecy in Assassination Probe

Paul Riverbank, 11/20/2025FBI secrecy and botched investigation spark outrage after Trump assassination attempt; accountability demanded.

Take Rep. Mike Kelly. He was on the rally grounds the day shots rang out. Kelly has recounted that uneasy feeling, the one that needles at you long after the adrenaline fades. “None of this sits right,” he recently told a group of reporters, searching for words as if he was still puzzling it over in real time. Kelly suspects the investigation was incomplete, maybe even stonewalled. “They can’t handle the truth,” he offered, pointing a finger, not at a person, but at the elusive clarity he and others seek from federal investigators.

Rep. Pat Fallon, too, has mulled over his role in the congressional committee that reviewed the case. He’s not known for alarmism, but Fallon insists another round of investigation is overdue. “It wouldn’t hurt anything,” he said, as if staring down a locked file cabinet and wondering what’s hidden inside. “There’s no such thing as too many questions in a case like this.”

One source of their unease: allegations that the FBI has withheld critical records about Thomas Crooks, the would-be assassin. Details have dribbled out, rarely in order. Social media posts attributed to Crooks—disturbing, violent musings—appear to have slipped past the official investigation. “What we could see, what we couldn’t see—it was all dictated by the feds,” Kelly recalled. The bitterness in his voice was hard to miss.

And it didn’t end there. The handling of Crooks' body startled more than a few people, including some in law enforcement. Cremated almost immediately, before a deep-dive forensic review could be performed, his remains left precious little for follow-up. Meanwhile, the rooftop where Crooks had fired his weapon was quickly scoured and, according to local sources, washed clean of blood and debris. “Another roadblock,” Kelly called it—one in a series that only seemed to multiply.

Later, newly discovered posts cast an even grimmer shadow on the official account. One message, flagged by internet sleuths, spelled it out: “IMO the only way to fight the gov is with terrorism style attacks, sneak a bomb into an essential building and set it off before anyone sees you, track down any important people/politicians/military leaders etc and try to assassinate them.” There were videos, too, showing a man—apparently Crooks—at a shooting range, learning the cadence of a rifle.

Despite these red flags, the House report released five months after that near-fatal day painted a sanitized digital profile: little more than dust and echoes, no apparent threat. Yet, these latest leaks spit in the eye of that claim. Even now, FBI Director Kash Patel describes Crooks’ online life as “unremarkable.” To many on both sides of the aisle, that explanation hardly rises to the moment.

The Trump family’s exasperation is palpable—and increasingly public. Eric Trump, never one to mince words, spoke bluntly in a recent interview, “We know nothing. Not only am I unsatisfied, I’m wholly pissed off about it, and I remain pissed off about it.” If there’s a unifying mood among Trump’s supporters, it’s a restless, angry impatience for answers.

The White House, too, has begun to acknowledge the growing unrest. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a podcast audience that President Biden shares in the public’s hunger for the truth. “Those questions are definitely deserving of answers,” she said, “and I believe the president does too.”

For the moment, uncertainty reigns. One thing cuts through, though: the consensus that more must be done, and what’s come so far simply isn’t enough. The investigation into the attempted assassination of a former president is now itself under scrutiny—every twist and omission fanning the flames for more transparency and, above all, real accountability. However this chapter ends, the weight of public expectation won’t disappear quietly.

The days since the attempted shooting of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, have done little to quiet either nerves or suspicions. Tempers continue to simmer, frustration spills out in unexpected places, and the initial narrative keeps coming apart at the seams. On Capitol Hill, more than a few lawmakers are raising pointed questions about whether the FBI’s handling of the aftermath was up to snuff—or, some worry, even close.Take Rep. Mike Kelly. He was on the rally grounds the day shots rang out. Kelly has recounted that uneasy feeling, the one that needles at you long after the adrenaline fades. “None of this sits right,” he recently told a group of reporters, searching for words as if he was still puzzling it over in real time. Kelly suspects the investigation was incomplete, maybe even stonewalled. “They can’t handle the truth,” he offered, pointing a finger, not at a person, but at the elusive clarity he and others seek from federal investigators.Rep. Pat Fallon, too, has mulled over his role in the congressional committee that reviewed the case. He’s not known for alarmism, but Fallon insists another round of investigation is overdue. “It wouldn’t hurt anything,” he said, as if staring down a locked file cabinet and wondering what’s hidden inside. “There’s no such thing as too many questions in a case like this.”One source of their unease: allegations that the FBI has withheld critical records about Thomas Crooks, the would-be assassin. Details have dribbled out, rarely in order. Social media posts attributed to Crooks—disturbing, violent musings—appear to have slipped past the official investigation. “What we could see, what we couldn’t see—it was all dictated by the feds,” Kelly recalled. The bitterness in his voice was hard to miss.And it didn’t end there. The handling of Crooks' body startled more than a few people, including some in law enforcement. Cremated almost immediately, before a deep-dive forensic review could be performed, his remains left precious little for follow-up. Meanwhile, the rooftop where Crooks had fired his weapon was quickly scoured and, according to local sources, washed clean of blood and debris. “Another roadblock,” Kelly called it—one in a series that only seemed to multiply.Later, newly discovered posts cast an even grimmer shadow on the official account. One message, flagged by internet sleuths, spelled it out: “IMO the only way to fight the gov is with terrorism style attacks, sneak a bomb into an essential building and set it off before anyone sees you, track down any important people/politicians/military leaders etc and try to assassinate them.” There were videos, too, showing a man—apparently Crooks—at a shooting range, learning the cadence of a rifle.Despite these red flags, the House report released five months after that near-fatal day painted a sanitized digital profile: little more than dust and echoes, no apparent threat. Yet, these latest leaks spit in the eye of that claim. Even now, FBI Director Kash Patel describes Crooks’ online life as “unremarkable.” To many on both sides of the aisle, that explanation hardly rises to the moment.The Trump family’s exasperation is palpable—and increasingly public. Eric Trump, never one to mince words, spoke bluntly in a recent interview, “We know nothing. Not only am I unsatisfied, I’m wholly pissed off about it, and I remain pissed off about it.” If there’s a unifying mood among Trump’s supporters, it’s a restless, angry impatience for answers.The White House, too, has begun to acknowledge the growing unrest. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a podcast audience that President Biden shares in the public’s hunger for the truth. “Those questions are definitely deserving of answers,” she said, “and I believe the president does too.”For the moment, uncertainty reigns. One thing cuts through, though: the consensus that more must be done, and what’s come so far simply isn’t enough. The investigation into the attempted assassination of a former president is now itself under scrutiny—every twist and omission fanning the flames for more transparency and, above all, real accountability. However this chapter ends, the weight of public expectation won’t disappear quietly.