--- title: "New FBI documents detail Trump assassin Thomas Crooks' background" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-15T14:46:07.336Z" source_reported: "2026-09-15T14:02:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-15T14:46:07.336Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 68 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-15T16:23:19.461Z" --- # New FBI documents detail Trump assassin Thomas Crooks' background *Records reveal the would-be assassin's quiet nature and interest in firearms.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to "FBI documents" and "New York Post" rather than named bodies. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. Most outlets provided digests, limiting the depth of reporting and ability to assess craft. - Hype 68 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise "chilling new details" and "bombshell FBI docs" that are not fully delivered. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. - FBI documents obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley detail Crooks' upbringing and behaviour. - Crooks' father described his son as quiet and emotionally withdrawn from birth. - Crooks used the alias 'Bob Dole' for some online purchases, according to federal records. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania, was described as quiet and emotionally withdrawn by his father, according to newly released FBI documents. The records, obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley as part of his investigation, provide further details about Crooks' life and interests. Crooks' father, Matthew Crooks, told the FBI that his son had been a quiet child from birth and that he struggled to establish a strong father-son bond. He noted that Thomas rarely expressed his emotions and was difficult to understand. The father also stated that his son became increasingly withdrawn over the years and had difficulty speaking with teachers in high school. Crooks was killed by Secret Service snipers shortly after the shooting. ## Disagreements in reporting Reports differ on whether Crooks had clearly defined political views. His father told the FBI that his son did not appear to have strong or clearly defined political views, and that he did not identify with a single political party, according to Internewscast. However, an unidentified ATF interview subject told investigators that Crooks was a 'big history buff' who was 'interested in politics' and frequently discussed 'Trump and Biden' around the time Trump was first elected, as reported by Internewscast. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated digests mention that an anonymous donor paid for Thomas Crooks' cremation, a detail reported by multiple right-rated digests. ## Who covered it Shares of the 25 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 12% (3) - Centre: 16% (4) - Right: 72% (18) 9 of 34 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-15T16:23:19.461Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-15T17:30:11.805Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on the emergence of new FBI documents concerning Thomas Matthew Crooks. Cumhuriyet, which published a full report, highlighted that the documents were obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and included interviews with Crooks' father. This report also noted Crooks' use of aliases for online purchases and his interest in technology and privacy tools. Raw Story's digest mentioned 'bizarre new details' about Crooks' behaviour. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports highlighted Crooks' use of the alias 'Bob Dole' for online purchases. Internewscast's full report detailed how Crooks used the name for ordering items, including parts to modify his rifle, and advised his father on online privacy. The report also noted that the reason for choosing the 'Bob Dole' alias remains unknown. Dailymail.com's digest described Crooks as a 'quiet loner'. ### Right - Right-rated reports led with details about Thomas Matthew Crooks' use of the alias 'Bob Dole' and his upbringing. Fox News, The US Sun, TrendingPolitics, news-pravda.com, thedailybs.com, PJ Media, Times of India, The Beltway Report, and New York Post all mentioned the alias in their headlines or initial reporting. Many of these reports, including digests from Fox News and PJ Media, also highlighted that an anonymous donor paid for Crooks' cremation. Digests from Times of India and New York Post focused on descriptions of Crooks being 'emotionless since birth'. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 2 - low: 3 - mixed: 15 - high: 4 - unknown: 9 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Mandatory](https://mandatory.com/celebrities/1850987-donald-trump-shooter-thomas-matthew-crooks-death-records-reveal-a-new-mystery) — Donald Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' Death Records Reveal a New Mystery - [Reality Tea](https://realitytea.com/2026/09/15/donald-trump-shooter-thomas-matthew-crooks-death-records-reveal-a-new-mystery) — Donald Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' Death Records Reveal a New Mystery - [Breitbart](https://breitbart.com/2nd-amendment/2026/09/15/failed-would-be-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-used-alias-bob-dole) — Failed Would-Be Trump Assassin Thomas Crooks Used Alias 'Bob Dole' - [Politics, Policy, Political News](https://politicom.com.au/more-federal-records-reveal-major-new-details-about-trumps-would-be-assassin-thomas-crooks-including-a-very-surprising-alias-he-used-while-buying-gun-parts) — More… Federal Records Reveal Major New Details About Trump’s Would-Be Assassin Thomas Crooks, Including a Very Surprising Alias He Used While Buying Gun Parts - Politics, Policy, Political Views - [The Gateway Pundit](https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/more-federal-records-reveal-major-new-details-about) — More… Federal Records Reveal Major New Details About Trump’s Would-Be Assassin Thomas Crooks, Including a Very Surprising Alias He Used While Buying Gun Parts * The Gateway Pundit * by Cullen Linebarger - [IBTimes UK](https://ibtimes.co.uk/anonymous-donor-paid-crooks-cremation-fbi-records-1819913) — Anonymous Donor Paid for Cremation of Trump Shooter Thomas Crooks After Assassination Attempt, FBI Files Show - [India Today](https://indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/thomas-matthew-crooks-cremation-anonymous-donor-paid-after-trump-rally-shooting-2995312-2026-09-15) — Who paid to cremate Trump shooter Thomas Crooks? New FBI files reveal mystery donor - [[your]NEWS](https://yournews.com/2026/09/15/7195432/trump-would-be-assassin-used-bob-dole-alias-before-anonymous-donor) — Trump Would-Be Assassin Used ‘Bob Dole’ Alias Before Anonymous Donor Paid for Cremation - [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/09/15/attempted-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-used-bob-dole-alias-before-anonymous-donor-paid-for-cremation-docs) — Attempted Trump assassin Thomas Crooks used ‘Bob Dole’ alias before anonymous donor paid for cremation: docs - [democraticaccent.com](https://democraticaccent.com/attempted-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-used-bob-dole-alias-before-anonymous-donor-paid-for-cremation-docs) — Attempted Trump assassin Thomas Crooks used 'Bob Dole' alias before anonymous donor paid for cremation: docs – Democratic Accent - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/us/attempted-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-used-bob-dole-alias-anonymous-donor-paid-cremation-docs) — Attempted Trump assassin Thomas Crooks used 'Bob Dole' alias before anonymous donor paid for cremation: docs - [The US Sun](https://the-sun.com/news/17007435/thomas-matthew-crooks-trump-shooter-cremation-anonymous-donor-childhood) — Chilling new details on wannabe Trump assassin revealed in FBI doc dump - [TrendingPolitics](https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/federal-files-reveal-disturbing-new-details-about-would-be-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-jrupp) — Federal Files Reveal Disturbing New Details About Would-Be Trump Assassin Thomas Crooks - [News Addicts](https://newsaddicts.com/revelations-emerge-about-thomas-crooks-alleged-trump-assassin) — Revelations Emerge About Thomas Crooks, Alleged Trump Assassin - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/09/15/2593495.html) — NEW FBI FILES REVEAL WHAT THOMAS CROOKS’ FATHER TOLD INVESTIGATORS - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/trump-assassination-attempt-2677860524) — Bizarre new details emerge about would-be Trump assassin - [TDPel Media](https://tdpelmedia.com/thomas-crooks-father-reveals-chilling-details-of-trump-shooters-silent-childhood-and-gun-obsession) — Thomas Crooks’ Father Reveals Chilling Details of Trump Shooter’s Silent Childhood and Gun Obsession - [thedailybs.com](https://thedailybs.com/2026/09/15/trump-shooters-father-opens-up-to-fbi-his-account-of-thomas-crooks-goes-back-to-the-day-he-was-born) — Trump shooter’s father opens up to FBI — his account of Thomas Crooks goes back to the day he was born - The Daily Bo Snerdley - [yenicaggazetesi.com](https://yenicaggazetesi.com/trump-suikastcisinin-bilinmeyen-yuzu-fbi-belgeleri-ortaya-cikti-1072094h.htm) — The Unknown Face of Trump's Assassin: FBI Documents Revealed. - [RedState](https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2026/09/15/fbi-information-on-would-be-butler-assassin-thomas-crooks-raises-more-questions-n2206939) — Newly Revealed FBI Information on Would-Be-Butler Assassin Thomas Crooks Raises More Questions - [The Post Millennial](https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-attempted-trump-assassin-thomas-matthew-crooks-used-alias-bob-dole-to-purchase-rifle-parts-anonymous-donor-paid-for-his-cremation-fbi-docs) — BREAKING: Attempted Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks used alias ‘Bob Dole’ to purchase rifle parts, ‘anonymous donor’ paid for his cremation: FBI docs - [PJ Media](https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/09/15/anonymous-donor-paid-for-cremation-of-would-be-trump-assassin-n4957250) — Anonymous Donor Paid for Cremation of Would-Be Trump Assassin - [Cumhuriyet](https://cumhuriyet.com.tr/dunya/trump-a-suikast-girisiminin-failine-iliskin-yeni-fbi-belgeleri-ortaya-cikti-2537720) — New FBI Documents Have Emerged Regarding the Perpetrator of the Assassination Attempt on Trump. - [Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/born-without-making-a-sound-new-docs-reveal-chilling-details-about-trump-rally-shooter/articleshow/134257740.cms) — ‘Born without making a sound’: New docs reveal chilling details about Trump rally shooter - [TMZ](https://tmz.com/2026/09/15/trump-shooter-thomas-matthew-crooks-cremation-for-by-anonymous-person) — Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' Cremation Funded by 'Anonymous Donor' - [NewsFinale](https://newsfinale.com/us/trump-shooting-suspect-thomas-crooks-described-as-a-quiet-loner) — Trump Shooting Suspect Thomas Crooks Described as a Quiet Loner - [dailymail.com](https://dailymail.com/news/article-16131849/Thomas-Crooks-Donald-Trump-assassin-father.html) — Wannabe Trump assassin Thomas Crooks described as quiet loner - [kikar.co.il](https://kikar.co.il/world-news/trump-assassination-attempt-crooks-profile) — "He Didn't Even Utter a Sound when He Was Born": Surprising Details About the Trump Shooter - [大纪元 Epoch Times](https://epochtimes.com/b5/26/9/15/n14849636.htm) — Father of Trump Assassin: Son's Personality Is Withdrawn and Motives Are Unclear. - [Restoring Liberty](https://joemiller.us/2026/09/chilling-new-details-about-trump-shooter-revealed-in-bombshell-fbi-docs-emotionless-since-birth) — Chilling New Details about Trump Shooter Revealed in Bombshell FBI Docs: Emotionless Since Birth - [Internewscast](https://internewscast.com/news/us/thomas-crooks-used-bob-dole-alias-to-prepare-for-butler-trump-shooting) — Thomas Crooks Used ‘Bob Dole’ Alias to Prepare for Butler Trump Shooting - [The Beltway Report](https://thebeltwayreport.com/2026/09/new-fbi-interview-records-detail-upbringing-of-butler-rally-shooter-thomas-crooks) — New FBI Interview Records Detail Upbringing of Butler Rally Shooter Thomas Crooks - [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/09/14/us-news/chilling-details-of-thomas-crooks-upbringing-revealed-in-bombshell-fbi-docs-emotionless-since-birth) — Exclusive | Chilling new details about Trump shooter Thomas Crooks revealed in bombshell FBI docs: emotionless since birth - [Political Wire](https://politicalwire.com/2026/09/14/would-be-trump-assassin-used-bob-dole-pseudonym) — Would-Be Trump Assassin Used ‘Bob Dole’ Pseudonym ## Questions **Who is Thomas Matthew Crooks?** Thomas Matthew Crooks was the 20-year-old individual who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. He was killed by Secret Service snipers shortly after the shooting. **What new information has been revealed about Thomas Crooks?** Newly released FBI documents, obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, detail Crooks' upbringing and behaviour. His father described him as quiet and emotionally withdrawn from birth. Crooks also used the alias 'Bob Dole' for some online purchases and showed an increasing interest in firearms. **Did Thomas Crooks have political views?** Reports differ on this. His father told the FBI that Crooks did not appear to have strong or clearly defined political views. However, an ATF interview subject described him as interested in politics and frequently discussing Trump and Biden. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "New FBI documents detail Trump assassin Thomas Crooks' background", https://mediabias.news/politics/new-fbi-documents-detail-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-background